The Tease of Fire I: Ignited
by Soraia
Summary: *Finished* Being a wolf can be trying, but Tala Acevedo keeps her head held high . . . Until she gets her new partner. Can they pull it together for the sake of their charge? Or will their mission fail because of his hate . . .
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer - The Night World, it's concepts, and it's characters, all belong to L.J. Smith. I claim nothing but the characters unrecognized and the story.

  
  


The Tease of Fire

  
  


*Chapter 1*

  
  


Tala loved being in her wolf form. It felt more natural than trying to be a human. She thought this to herself as she trotted down the hallway, flourescent lights whining from above her head. Not many people heard that sound.

People smiled at her as she walked by, occasionally petting her or ruffling her fur. She just smiled, lolling her tongue from her mouth, continuing on until she found the room she was looking for.

She walked into the office of the Southern Daybreak Hospice, jumping up and onto the leather couch. Lying down, she let out a refreshing sigh.

"Tala, if you're going to stay as a wolf for this meeting, you need to get off of my four-thousand dollar couch."

Turning her eyes on the man that said this, she let out a light whimper. Meeting wise brown eyes that held ions behind them, she crawled off of the couch, knowing that the man was unrelenting.

A new voice entered the room. "Furniture isn't for flea bags."

Within seconds Tala was on top of the boy, standing on his relatively expensive suede jacket. She brought her muzzle close to his face, baring her mouth of dangerously sharp teeth, a low growl rising in her throat. She took in his shocked mahogany eyes, noticing how the deep reds and dark browns swirled together.

"Tala!" Thierry's voice was strong and commanding, yet she didn't want to move. Slowly, she stepped back, letting the boy up from the ground. Though she had stopped growling, she still had her teeth exposed.

Looking him up and down, there was no doubt that he was a vampire. Made or lamia, she wasn't quite sure. He had rich brown hair almost the same color of his eyes, curling over his forehead and just past his ears, turning red in certain places as the light touched it. His skin was unnaturally pale, yet glowing, and his body was one that high school girls dreamed about.

Fortunately, Tala wasn't a high school girl.

"Tala, if you would please return to a human state? I imagine Monroe won't be saying anymore immature remarks, will he?"

The boy named Monroe groaned, running a hand through his hair. "Fine, I won't make wolf jokes."

Tala rolled her eyes, fully aware that he had seen it. She stepped back, feeling the transition begin. Her honey colored fur with streaks of white began to recede, her claws withdrawing, turning into human fingernails. Her joints switched directions, her knees sliding forward. She rolled her neck as she stood on her hind legs, or actually, human legs. Clearing her throat, she smirked at the look on the boy's face. _He hadn't expected beauty, had he?_ she thought to herself.

She knew what he saw. A tall girl, only an inch shorter than himself, with unbelievably straight golden hair that ran down to her waist, natural streaks of white framing her oval face. She couldn't see them, but she knew her forest green eyes held menace in their depths.

Thierry went on. "All right then. Tala Acevedo, I'd like you to meet Monroe Pierson, your new partner."

Both the wolf and the vampire turned to Thierry and spoke in sync with each other. "What did you just say?"

Tala continued. "Thierry, you _promised_ that I could work with Lupe on my next mission! I never signed up to drag around some pompous new recruit-"

"Pompous? At least I don't have to take a flea bath once a week!"

"Oh I'll show you a flea bath, you ignorant-"

Thierry stepped between the two, putting a hand on each fighter. Tala attempted to swing at Monroe, but only ended up with very feminine arms grabbing her waist and pulling her back so that she just barely missed him.

"Calm yourself down, sweetheart." Hannah was looking at her knowingly, a smirk trying to hide behind a frown on her lips.

Tala took a deep breath before turning back to Thierry. "You do this because you hate me, don't you?"

He just sighed, obviously irritated, but still taking the joke. "Lupe is still in New York on the Denison Mission, otherwise, I would have let you two have at this one. This case is important, Tala, and I need one of my best shifters on the job." She smiled, taking in the compliment. "I also need a telepath, and since Monroe can be trusted, I need him here, too."

She suddenly felt the need to whine. "Why don't you send Keller out on this one? She is your best shifter."

Thierry shook his head. "She's on an assignment with Galen."

"Lucky panther . . ." she grumbled in a barely audible tone. Speaking up, she looked at Thierry. "So what's the job? Something quick, I hope. My mom wanted to see me for Christmas."

Thierry turned to Hannah, both of them sharing a look of worry. He spoke lightly, focusing on Tala again. "I'm sorry. This is going to be quite a long-term job."

Flopping down on the couch, she closed her eyes. _There goes my chance at mom's home cooking_. Monroe, still quiet, sat on the opposite end of the couch. He was apparently trying to put as much space between them as he could. "Exactly how long?" she sighed.

"Indefinite."

Hearing him groan, she could see Monroe glaring at her out of the corner of her eye. She did not like the sound of this . . .

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Chapter 2

_I know, I have two recently started projects at one time (gee, is this a surprise to anyone??). 'James & Poppy' is just really hard to focus on, but I will get another chapter of that out this weekend. This is just something that started from nowhere, going from hand to keyboard to computer screen. I like it, so I put it up._

_To my dearest **Emmanuelle**: I swear, you give me way too much credit! But thank you, again. You alone are going to cause my ego to explode from getting so big! =) The constant bickering at each other is just my natural sarcasm kicking in, and I felt I needed to make a strong werewolf character, since I'd never really seen one portrayed from the main character view in other fanfics. Plus, I wanted to stick up for our little furry friends. =) I hope you like this as much as 'Discovery' and 'Lilac.'_

_On with the story! =)_

  
  
  
  


*Chapter 2*

  
  


Tala slid her sunglasses over her eyes, walking out into the beautiful Florida sunshine. Key West was the only place she knew of where she could walk around in a pair of running shorts and a tank top the week of Christmas and not get a chill.

"How can it be the holidays when it's eighty degrees outside?" she mumbled to herself.

"What? Did you see a _cat_?"

She had forgotten her new partner was following her to the car. Taking a good grip of the green file folder in her right hand, she turned and asked innocently, "What did you say?"

"I said, 'What? Did you-'" He was cut off with a folder to the back of the head.

She stood there, arms crossed, waiting for him to realize what happened to him. "For a vampire, you ain't so quick."

"Ain't. It's a wonder why your kind is considered the lowest of the Night World species."

She rolled her eyes, not letting his comments hurt her. "Let me get something straight for you, bloodsucker. First of all, I'll point out that I am twenty years old with a bachelor's degree in English Literature, and am half-way to my master's in Composition, so you can keep your werewolf stereotypes to yourself, buddy. Second, you heard Thierry. _I_ am running this assignment. I can behave as long as you quit wasting oxygen and keep your mouth shut unless you can improve the silence. If you have a problem, take it up with the man, because the complaint department _here_," she pointed to herself to emphasize the comment, "is closed. Understood?"

He gave her a vicious glare. Not intimidated at all, she tapped her foot, getting slightly irritated. "If you want to make a problem out of this, I'm sure one of us can be put on another assignment."

Something flared through his eyes, quickly hidden away. Tala thought she saw something that looked like fear, but figured it better not to say anything. Like she cared, anyway.

Monroe cleared his throat. "Fine, _boss_," he spit out the word as if it was something new to him. "I'll be a good little vampire and do as I'm told."

She felt a light pang in her chest. She didn't like being mean and nasty, but when you get harassed every day for what you are, you begin to grow a thick shell. She clicked a button on her key-chain, turning toward her Suzuki Vitara. She hopped into the driver's seat as he climbed through the passenger door.

Throwing the car into gear, she squealed onto Duval Street, flying past horribly dressed tourists on their rented scooters. Getting onto Highway One, she started heading north, since there was no other direction to go. She reached for the play button on her CD player by habit and started the CD. Rock-opera began to fill the air around the vehicle.

Trying to be nice, she spoke to the passenger, who seemed to be on another planet. "If you don't like this music, I can put in something you like."

"It's cool, I like Trans-Siberian Orchestra." He remained where he was, staring out the window.

She turned down the volume a little, hoping to carry something of a conversation. "See? We have _something_ in common, besides being Daybreak agents. Is this your first mission?"

He spoke, still not looking at her. "Second."

"So you haven't been in the Circle long, have you?"

"I thought it was obvious." He gave her a look of disdain. "You were the one who called me a 'pompous rookie.'"

Gripping the steering wheel harder, she continued, watching as the keys passed her from bridge to bridge. "Why did you join Circle Daybreak, anyway? Most people who do usually don't have problems with particular species."

"Wolves just piss me off."

_And I'll be no exception_, she thought snidely. It was very hard to keep positive with this attitude in the car with her. "You didn't answer my question."

"Exactly."

Disregarding the speed limit signs on Deer Key, she slammed the car into fifth gear. She turned up the volume again, drumming her fingers with "Carol of the Bells," trying to ignore the undead lump on the other side of her car.

  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. Chapter 3

Okay, pitching the other story until I can get actual inspiration to work on it. It's just not going how I like it. Full attention on this one for the time being.

Emmanuelle: Thank you for your constructive criticism on the other story. And I'm glad you like this one so well. Here's chapter three, just as you asked.

  
  


*Chapter 3*

  
  


Almost an hour later, Tala was greeted with a sign just past the Seven Mile Bridge saying "Welcome to Marathon!" The vampire was asleep on the other side of the car, and the sun was setting just over the Gulf.

Monroe jerked awake when she turned off the stereo. He was glancing around as she looked through the file, driving with one hand.

"Want me to help?"

Tala almost let an insult slip out, then remembered that she was trying to be nice. Handing him the folder, she told him what she needed. "We're going to stop at a little diner right up here. It's quite safe. I know most of the employees. We can discuss the mission there."

She saw him nod as she parked the car. Throwing on her jacket, she went inside the diner, not waiting for her partner to catch up. Immediately upon her entrance, she was welcomed from numerous people. She waved, taking her usual seat in the back corner. Seconds later Monroe joined her.

"Before we get into this assignment," she started, setting the menu to the side, "I think we should get to know each other. You don't have to tell me anything too personal, but I need to know something, that way I can trust you. If you'd like, I'll start."

He leaned his head to the side, almost examining her. Slowly, he nodded, giving her the okay to go.

"Well, my name is Tala Acevedo, as Thierry introduced me. Lupe, one of his assistants, is a cousin on my father's side. I figure you may have heard of her before. Anyway, as I told you, I'm twenty years old and a student at University of Miami. My family has been a part of Circle Daybreak for almost ten years. I started doing missions when I was fifteen." She smiled as the waitress set a glass of water in front of her and a glass of "tomato juice" beside Monroe's hand. Yes, this was definitely a Daybreak café.

"Anything else you want to know?"

He shrugged, taking a sip of his drink. Shock swept through his face when he realized it wasn't really juice.

Tala laughed, looking up at the witch standing next to their table. "Hey Seria. How's it going?"

The girl grinned, her dark tan skin wrinkling at the corners of her bright blue eyes. "Hola Tala. Business has been good. I see you have a new partner?" The statement seemed to hint at an introduction.

I hope it's not like this the whole mission. "Seria, this is my new partner, Monroe Pierson. Monroe, this is my friend, Seria Marlen. She's the witch who runs this place." Before she could finish, Monroe had the server's hand, giving it a gentle kiss. Seria was blushing, saying something in Spanish that Tala couldn't understand. She rolled her eyes, opening the folder.

"I'd just like a piece of Key Lime pie, Seria." She was pulling papers out, setting them in organized stacks on the table. "I doubt he'll be having anything besides the 'juice.'"

Seria kept smiling at Monroe as she walked away. Tala didn't look up from her papers. "Now tell me about yourself."

She heard him clear his throat. "My name is Monroe Pierson. I'm twenty-one. I've been a member for six months."

Tala waited for a few seconds before she realized he wasn't going to say anything else. "Gee, I guess I can trust you with my life now. Why don't you tell me why you joined Daybreak?"

"Because I don't feel you need to know."

Throwing her hands up, she groaned. "Fine. We'll just work together and I'll hope you don't kill me in my sleep. Not that you could."

He opened his mouth to object, but Seria walked up at that exact moment. Forcing a smile, he turned to flirt with the waitress.

Tala took her pie, trying to hide the drool. That was her favorite thing about the Keys: the Key Lime Pie. She especially liked the kind here because it didn't have meringue.

Monroe was eying the pie. Seria had moved on to the table next to them. Tala looked up, seeing the curiosity in his eyes. "I take it you've never tried pie before."

He shook his head in disgust. "It doesn't hold too much nutritional value for us."

She rolled her eyes. "You think it does for me? Don't knock it till you try it. Let's get on with this."

She grabbed the picture from the top of the pile in front of her. The girl in the picture was young, with ebony colored skin and bewitching hazel-green eyes. The paperwork said she was twelve years old and human. The mission only stated that they were to pick up the girl in Islamorada, then bring her back to the hospice. Further instructions would be waiting for them when they returned.

"I guess there's not much for us to discuss. Why do you think we're protecting her?" She took the last bite of her pie.

"I imagine Thierry will tell us when we get back." His voice lacked any hint of enthusiasm.

Tala had had enough. "Okay, that's it. Listen, I know you don't like me, that's just peachy. But you need to get your head into this. I'm trying to be civil. I've been biting my tongue ever since we started this trip so that we can at least get along. Now, what the Hell is your problem?"

"I told you. Wolves piss me off."

Shaking her head, she stood, slapping a ten dollar bill on the table. "Fine. I'm calling Thierry to tell him that I'm dismissing you for insubordination. We'll pick up the girl and then you can be given a new assignment when we get back to Key West."

She stepped out the door in a hurry, ignoring the waves she received. Pulling out her cell phone, she tried to remember which speed dial she had programmed for Circle Daybreak. She was almost to the car when something grabbed the sleeve of her jacket. She whipped around to see Monroe with pleading eyes. "What the Hell do you want?"

"Okay, I know. I'm being an insensitive prick. I'm sorry, really. It's just a sour past. Please, I'll try harder, just don't kick me off of this case." He still had hold of her arm.

She was starting to get uncomfortable as he closed in on her. Yanking her arm from his grip, she glared at him. "What is so important about this case? There will be plenty of others out there for you, and you won't have to work with a wolf. I figured you'd be happy."

He hesitated, looking around himself as if searching for words in the air. Finally, he found what he was looking for. "Thierry put his trust in me as a telepath, and I don't want to let him down. Please, Tala? One more chance, I swear."

She shook her head, continuing on to the car. "Fine. I don't care. Get in the damn car and we'll go get the girl."

Starting back on the highway, she began to wonder why she had agreed to this case at all.


	4. Chapter 4

Hmmm . . . I'm not receiving many reviews . . . one of three ideas here: 1) You're not fond of wolves; 2) You're not fond of this story; or 3) You're a little shy. =) Oh well, I'm not taking it offensively.

  
  


Emmanuelle: One of my favorite little reviewers. =) Even if you are the only one reviewing this story, it's worth it. I love your criticism and raves. I can't wait until you update your story. Landing on your head does usually result in slow response time, hehehe. I should know, oy. As for the cup of blood, I imagine it's not cheap. Key Lime pie usually isn't that expensive, so unless she was giving Seria a huge tip, I'd say the "juice" was costly. And yes, the world would be a much better place if it was filled with cute groveling men.

  
  


*Chapter 4*

  
  


She didn't trust him. Trust was a huge concern of Tala's, especially when it came to her partners, and she couldn't trust Monroe for the life of her.

Sitting at the red light, she saw that the vampire was sleeping again. She was fighting the urge to flick him in the nose. Anything to stop that horrible snoring.

She turned onto the dusty road that lead to the girl's house. Mangrove's lined the road, letting absolutely none of the moonlight onto the street. A cold wind filled the car. Tala was tempted to go into her half-way form just so she could get the warmth of her thick fur. Then she thought of the look of disgust on Monroe's face.

*What do you care? It's not like his opinion matters to you anyway.* She shook her head, turning up the radio. She was not in the mood for a mental battle with herself.

Pulling up into the driveway, she nudged Monroe's chest. Still not budging, she poked his cheek quickly. She pulled back, getting a quick static shock.

He sat straight up, giving her an odd look. "What?"

"We're here." She shook out her hand, still feeling the charge. She got out of the car, shocking herself again on the door as she closed it. "Damnit. Are you wearing wool or something?"

He shrugged, walking up toward the house. She joined his side, walking up to the dark porch. *Funny,* she thought, *Doesn't somebody know we're coming?*

Knocking on the door received no answer. Neither did ringing the doorbell. Worry crept through Tala's mind. She looked to see that Monroe had the same concern in his eyes.

"Listen, I know you don't like this, but I'm going to change into wolf form." *What do you care-* she cut herself off mentally. "I thought I'd warn you so that you'd know what I'm doing. Something's going on, and I can get more work done in that form. While I'm changing, I want you to do a mind search of the house, see if anyone's in there, including the girl." She started to walk off of the porch and stopped to say one more thing. "Not that I need to add this, but shield your mind. If there's a Night person in there, I don't want them to suspect that a vampire is probing the house and a wolf is changing in the shadows."

She stepped behind a group of palm trees just past the front steps. Letting her mind take control, she felt the change take over her body. That second of pure nothingness, feeling like a soul floating in the wind. Her shoulders pulled in, her muscles realigning into the sinewy arms of an animal. The blond hair spread over her arms, white stripes showing bright like highlights. Emerged in the painful pleasure of the change, she shook herself out. *Here we go.*

Slinking out of the shadows, she saw Monroe leaning with his hands on the door. His mind was in deep concentration. Tala almost started when he jumped back, backing down the stairs to her side.

He took a knee next to her, talking to her mentally, obviously trying not to look at her. *The girl's there, sleeping. Her mother is on the floor in the living room, having been knocked out mentally. As I can tell, she was coming to answer the door when it happened. There's a made vampire and a lion in human shape making their way up the stairs to the room she's in. They're going to take her.*

Tala nodded, directing her thoughts at him. *It's going to be hard, but we can take them. We'll let them grab the girl and we'll surprise them on their way out the door. Good?*

He nodded, finally meeting her eyes. Something between surprise and revulsion took over his expression.

Tala grimaced, looking away. She trotted promptly to the side of the house, ignoring the heat in her mind. She perked up her ears, straining her supernatural senses to hear what was going on in the house. There, a small cry quickly muffled. A little scuffling, and then footsteps.

Suddenly, a light came forth from the house. This wasn't a dull, yellow light bulb though. This was fire.

*Screw the plan,* she sent Monroe with her mind. *We're going in.* And with a bounding leap, she crashed through the window.

  
  



	5. Chapter 5

Yay! Another reviewer! It's just like Christmas! Hehehehe. Just a quick author's note: BUCS ARE GOING TO THE SUPER BOWL! Sorry if you're an Eagle's fan, I'm just pretty stoked. Anyway, continuing . . .

Emmanuelle: I'm not a big fan of 'Buffy' myself. Glad you like the action. Sexual tension? Maybe that's where some of my writing is coming from! LoL.

Tamashii: So you think you have Mr. Monroe figured out, do ya? Maybe your right . . . we'll find out in the next few chapters. =) Thanks for the review. I'm glad it's taking shape for you.

  
  


*Chapter 5*

  
  


Chaos. That's all Tala could take in from the room. The mother was still on the floor, unconscious. The made vampire that Monroe had sensed was on fire, running around the room, setting anything he touched ablaze. The lion was no longer human, letting out a loud roar as the vampire fell on top of him. From the corner of her eyes, she saw Monroe climbing through the newly broken frame of the door.

In the middle of the madness, a small child sat on the floor. Unhurt, she sat looking unamused and somewhat sleepy. The flame did not come within five feet of her.

Tala had already changed back to human. Ignoring the scene around her, she walked calmly toward the girl. Seeing her, the little girl smiled.

Kneeling down, Tala returned the grin. "What's your name?"

"Vesta Lynn Douglas." Her eyes held years of wisdom that she seemed too young to have seen.

Nodding, Tala went on. "Hi, Vesta. I'm Tala Acevedo. Do you know who I am?"

The little girl's face brightened. "You're from Circle Daybreak. You're going to save me."

She stood, taking Vesta in her arms. "Exactly." She turned back to the fire. Monroe was already checking the mother. The two Night people sat on the floor, motionless, fire consuming them.

Shielding the girl's eyes, she walked straight toward the front door frame. "Grab her! We have to get out of here!" Monroe nodded an acknowledgment, gently picking the mother up from the floor.

Almost to the car, Tala heard the windows explode from the heat. She made room for Monroe to place the mother in the back, then tossed him the keys. "You drive."

He looked at the keys, shocked. "You trust me to drive?"

She rolled her eyes. "Right now isn't the time to debate my trust in you. Just get in and drive."

She pulled Vesta onto her lap as they took off. In the side mirror, Tala could see the house burning into the sky.

  
  


Upside down, Tala was resting her eyes in the chair at her desk. She felt her blonde hair grazing the floor, the blood rushing to her head.

"A wolf with an office."

Opening one eye, she recognized Monroe's Airwalks at the bottom of her desk. "If you've got an insult lined up to go with that, may I remind you that Thierry's not here to save you this time."

"Hey, I thought it would be a compliment."

"Whatever. What do you want from me?"

"The Big Guy is ready to give us the next part of the assignment. And the girl wants to see the puppy that saved her."

"Are you trying to be a smart ass or cute? Because I'm not buying it." She flipped her feet over her head, landing gracefully on the ground. Running a hand through her hair, she turned to look at Monroe.

"Neither, she actually said that. She's pretty smart." He started to walk beside her as they made their way to Thierry's office.

"She's an Old Soul. I saw it in her eyes." She put her hands into her jacket pockets. It was about three o'clock in the morning and she had yet to change or take a shower. Suddenly self-conscious, she checked her reflection in a passing office window. She was covered in soot.

She suddenly felt something on her mind, literally. She stopped in the hallway. "Don't you dare probe my mind. I never gave you permission."

He held his hand up defensively. "Sorry. I saw something was on your mind. I just thought I'd try to see what it was."

"There's this thing called asking. You should try it sometime." She continued down the hall.

He quickly caught up. "I may not know you, but I knew that I would just get a negative answer and a punch in the groin."

"You didn't tell me you were psychic," she mumbled, turning into the office. She sat down on the expensive couch and put her feet up on the expensive ottoman. 

Thierry was shaking his head, hiding a smirk. "I don't even want to know what you two are arguing about now. Here." He handed Tala a new folder. "The woman is going to stay here with us. You guys are going to take Vesta to a safe house in Miami in the morning."

She had already begun to flip through the contents of the folder. "Then what?"

"You take care of her, make sure the Night World doesn't get a hold of her, and search her mind as to why they might want her."

Tala almost dropped the folder. "You mean you don't know why they want her?"

Thierry shook his head disappointedly. "No. We know that the Council wants to use her as some sort of weapon, but we have no clue as to what or how. They killed her whole family. The woman taking care of her was one of our agents."

Tala sighed, closing her eyes. "All right. But please tell me I can sleep until the morning."

He nodded. "Yes. But I can't have you going home. I need you close by. Monroe and yourself will be sharing room-"

"Goddess, Thierry!" She stood up, completely aggravated. "I have had to put up with his attitude all day and now I have to sleep in the same room as him? Do you know that he snores? Forget it, I'll just sleep in my office."

He began to tap his fingers on the desk. "No, you won't. You need a good night's sleep, both of you. Unfortunately, we have a lot of visitors here at the hospice, so I can only give out this one room. I'm sorry you haven't gotten along, but you will do as I tell you. Unless you both want to be taken off of the assignment for insubordination?"

Silent until now, Monroe stood. "No, it's okay, Thierry. I'm working on being nicer to her, I swear. We'll be okay."

Her jaw had dropped, staring at her partner. She barely noticed when Thierry had asked her if she agreed. Hesitating for only a second, she concurred. Slowly, she followed Monroe out of the office.

The room they shared was quite small. Two cots sat almost three feet apart against opposite walls. Everything was hospital room white. She knew the sheets would be scratchy.

She climbed into a bed, not caring if he wanted a choice of the two. Fully clothed, she pulled the wool-polyester blend sheets over her head. From underneath, she called out to him. "Don't you dare try to probe my mind while I'm sleeping. I will wake up and stab you, so help me."

"Don't worry. I won't bother."

She saw darkness filling the room and heard him rustling into his cot. She took this minute to try and squeeze some information out of him. "Why is this case so important to you?"

"I told you already." His voice was filled with annoyance . . . and something else . . .

"Why is it you won't tell me anything, then? I don't think you fully understand that partners need to trust each other. Do you hate me that much? Just because I'm a wolf?" For some reason, heat was coming to her eyes.

"Tala, I don't hate you. I mentioned it before, I just have a bad past and it keeps me from telling anybody anything. Eventually it'll loosen, I don't know. Let's just try to get some sleep, okay?"

She nodded, knowing he couldn't see her. She rolled toward the wall and took a deep breath, not knowing why he affected her so much.

  
  
  
  



	6. Chapter 6

Okay, this chapter is kinda short, I know. This was just streaming from my mind and I couldn't stop it. Major thanks to Tamashii for the new summary. Freaking brilliant.

  
  


*Chapter 6*

  
  


"Have you ever had a boyfriend?"

Tala cocked an eyebrow and looked at the other side of the car. Monroe had been silent for the past hour and a half of the trip, Vesta sleeping in the back, having worn herself out petting Tala's hair. "Where did that come from?"

"You just seem so uptight." He repositioned himself in the seat to talk to her better.

She laughed, keeping her eyes on the road. "I could say the same about you. I hope that's not an offer."

"Definitely not. I don't date animals." He hadn't spoke resentfully this time. "Of course, there was this jaguar once. Man, she was vicious in be-"

She cut him off with a smack to the chest. "There's a little girl sleeping in the back seat, may I remind you, and I could really care less about your promiscuous adventures." She shook her head, still chuckling. "And to answer your question, yes, I've dated. I just feel my time is better spent working and studying." The lie took a bite out of her gut. "Besides, who needs lovey mushy significant others?" There was partial truth in that one. "Even if I found my soulmate, I don't think I'd be ready to cuddle like the rest of the pansies at Daybreak."

"Amen to that. I hate it when people look at the Circle and just think we dance around to harps and flutes with flowers on our head."

Tala almost drove off the road from laughing so hard. When she straightened herself out, she looked at Monroe. "Sorry. I just got a mental picture of you in a flower crown, dancing with Thierry and Hannah and the rest of the soulmates."

His look wasn't one of amusement. "Thanks, Rover."

"Yup, that's me. Good ol' Rover. Loyal, honest, hard working, and man's best friend. The only difference is that I look drop dead gorgeous."

"You forgot to add conceited."

"Hey, it's healthy to love yourself. That way you don't have to worry about whether anyone else hurts you or not."

"Then why did it hurt you so bad when I called you those names, and last night when I wouldn't tell you anything about myself?"

Tala slammed on the brakes, pulling off to the side of the road. She jumped out of the car, walking to Monroe's side and jerking his door open. "That's it. Get out, now. We're settling this right here, right now."

He looked at her in amazement as she grabbed the sleeve of his jacket and threw him to the dusty ground. "What the Hell is wrong with you?"

She pushed him into a mangrove the second he stood, knowing that the wood was stinging his back. "I told you not to probe my mind, you idiotic leech!" She kicked his shin as hard as she could, anger filling her mind and causing her to lose control. She kept shoving his chest, pushing him further into the mangroves. "I knew I couldn't trust you. I turn my back for one second and you do a quick search of my mind. Find anything interesting?"

She was reaching back to slap him when he grabbed the wrist of her sweatshirt. "Will you calm down, Tala? I never looked into your mind."

"Liar. Then how the Hell did you know what I was thinking?" She tried to get her arm from his grip, but failed miserably.

He shook his head, looking her in the eyes. "For the smartest wolf I've ever met, you're not that bright." She pushed aside a feeling of acceptance and continued to glare. He went on. "You may be able to shield your mind when you're around Night people, but you let your thoughts broadcast loud and clear when you're not focusing on saving someone."

A feeling of humility began to grow inside the pit of her stomach, which she only answered by getting even more mad. "What are you talking about?"

"I know I hurt your feelings last night by not telling you my story, I could sense the tears coming to your eyes. And for some reason, that killed me inside. Everybody else I've insulted has been proud and kept their thoughts quiet, but you have broadcasted them loud and clear. I never realized how much I had hurt anyone else."

Having freed her hand, she stepped back, getting closer to the car. "That's impossible. I have almost a permanent block on my mind, incase anyone from the Council tries to get information. They taught us how to do that when I first started at Daybreak. And if that were true, that you can tell how I've felt all along, then why did you keep insulting me first thing yesterday? Like on our way to Islamorada and in the diner? My emotions didn't magically change, I've felt this way all along." She clapped her hands over her mouth. She hadn't meant to agree that he had bothered her.

He looked at her, shocked. "Maybe the feeling was just stronger later on. I knew you were worried about changing in front of me on the porch, and from then on you kept radiating your upset."

She shook her head. "Don't try to trick me. You've been silently probing my mind this whole time, haven't you? Ever since the house. I knew you weren't trustworthy. We're heading back to Key West." She turned on her heel, heading back toward the car.

"Tala, wait!" He grabbed the back of her sweatshirt.

This time, he couldn't catch her in time. She spun quickly and put as much force as she could into hitting his cheek with the palm of her hand. Instantly a shock went through her hand and up her forearm.

Pulling back, she grabbed her arm. "Damnit, Monroe! How the Hell do you keep shocking me?"

At the same time he yelled, "What do you have on your hand?" Quickly he reached for arm. She couldn't pull it back fast enough as he grabbed her hand.

And suddenly, her mind exploded.

  
  
  
  
  
  



	7. Chapter 7

Okay, this chapter is even shorter than the last one, I know. I just didn't have much thought about this scenario except to add a little excitement and mystery, not to mention I feel like uber crap. I think I'm getting a cold. Yuck. Anyway, sorry it took so long to get this one chapter up, seeing how I usually put up about two in a day. I'll see what else I can work on tonight, but don't be surprised if you have to wait another day for anything else.

Skylark: I'm glad you like Tala. I'm really proud of her character, myself. I think she's one of the strongest I've written. You'll get her story in chapter eight.

Emmanuelle: Maybe someday you'll see a series of books written by me. I'll make sure to send you signed copies at no charge. =)

Neona-Deniker: Thanks for the encouragement. I wanted to stick up for all wolf-kind. =) You really can't find criticism? Maybe after this chapter.

Adelaide E: Thanks for the compliments. I'm a stickler for grammar and spelling, so if you ever see a slip up, you know I wasn't having a good day. LoL. I've put aside my other projects for this story, so hopefully I can update fast enough for you. As for the reviews, I don't know, it's kinda weird, they just kicked in. I think it's because of my new summary from Tamashii (she rocks).

Zabella: Don't we all love soulmates? Like I could pass up the chance. Hehehehe. Thanks for the review, and please keep reading!

Tamashii: My little English summary writer . . . hey, wait, you called Monroe a pussy? Just wait until I get chapter eight out. He'll be back, with a vengeance. Thanks for pointing it out though, I'm trying not to let him get too soft.

  
  


*Chapter 7*

  
  


Gasping, Tala fell back. Though it had felt like eternity, she knew it had only lasted a few seconds.

And it proved why he had felt all of her emotions.

She grabbed for the grass on the ground, desperately searching for proof of reality. Her whole world had turned upside down in a matter of moments. It wasn't just because she had found her soulmate.

"You're lying to me."

She saw him look at her quickly.

"Both you and Thierry. You're keeping something from me." She stood slowly, grabbing at the mangroves to help her up. When he offered her his hand she jerked back. "About this mission . . . you both know something. I don't know what it is, but I saw it in your mind, the worry of me finding out. That's why you won't tell me anything."

"Tala, listen-"

"No! Why should I?" She stumbled backwards toward the car. "Because you're my *soulmate*?" She spit the word out, using it like a weapon. She began to laugh. "The universe is so cruel. The man that I am destined to be with can't stand what I am, and worse, is a liar."

Starting to head back, she went on. "I'm going home. I quit. I have done way too much for this organization for something to be kept from me on a mission. Just when I finally think I have a place where I fit in-" She stopped. *Why can't I just keep my mouth shut?* Shaking her head, she continued toward the car.

Luckily for her, she had shut her mouth. A slight noise was coming from the car.

She started running. She hadn't realized she had shoved him so far from the Vitara. Quickly, she transformed, knowing that was her best defense if there was a fight. Pushing through the heavy branches of the trees, she finally emerged from them, exposing herself to the side of the highway.

Next to the car stood a panther, the back of Vesta's shirt in her mouth, and Vesta herself hanging from it, kicking and screaming. Seeing Tala, the panther dropped the child and lowered herself into a pouncing position.

Growling, Tala smiled. This would be a fun way of getting rid of her aggression.

Unfortunately, she didn't get a chance to fight. The second the panther was in the air, a silver flash went past Tala's eyes and into the ribs of the flying cat. Taking a moment to figure out what had just happened, she came closer to the animal. Protruding from its no longer moving chest was a silver blade.

Turning, she saw Monroe standing behind her. When she met his eyes, he turned his head. Pushing away the pang in her chest, she clipped back into the mangroves to change.

Straightening her shirt, she got into the driver's seat. Monroe was already on the passenger side, cradling the girl. Amazingly, Vesta's eyes were tearless and sparkling.

"We can't go back to the hospice."

"And why not?" Tala hadn't meant for her voice to be so shaky.

  
  


Monroe didn't even look at her. "Well, I imagine that Night person and whatever ones it had with it before we came back out here overheard you screaming like a banshee."

She sighed. "Fine. We'll go to the safe house in Miami. But just because you killed that thing does not mean you saved my life, and I owe you nothing. Do not speak to me, do not look at me, and the second we get there, I'm dropping you guys off and going to my mother's in Ft. Lauderdale. You can be the one who tells Thierry that I quit."

"Gladly."

She gave a tired laugh. "Shove it, Monroe." With that, she cut into traffic and began to speed north.

  
  
  
  



	8. Chapter 8

So, how's this for longer? =) I'm feeling a little bit better, so I'll probably have the next chapter up in a few hours. In the meantime, enjoy!

Neona-Deniker: Thanks for the criticism. I was feeling hella crappy last night, so I didn't really have the drive to type out a fight scene, plus it would get monotonous with all of the fights they'll be in later. This chapter is longer, so hopefully you'll like it!

Tamashii: Okay, okay, my big English summary writer, that better? =)

Adelaide E: It just wouldn't be fun if I didn't give their relationship a little conflict, now would it? And this chapter only pushes it a little more. Hehehehe.

  
  


*Chapter 8*

  
  


Pulling up to the safe house, Tala was exhausted. She was drained emotionally, physically and mentally. The sun laughed at her from above her head.

She walked up to the door, searching for the keys in her pockets. Unconsciously, she began to reflect on the past two hours of the trip. Silence. Other than the stereo, the three travelers kept there opinions to themselves. It had almost driven her insane with Monroe's mind on the other side of the vehicle. His mental presence had been weighing on hers, while she tried her hardest to block every hurtful and upsetting thing in her mind. She hadn't wanted him to know how torn she was.

She finally managed to get the door unlocked. Opening it, she gave a mental chuckle. The irony, a vampire having to stay in a wooden beach house. She hoped he tripped and stabbed himself on a loose wall panel.

Resentment filled the side of her mind his presence was dominating. She laughed out loud, realizing she had forgot to shield that thought.

Vesta grabbed Tala's hand, running in all directions of the house, looking through all of the rooms. Her heart broke a little, knowing that she was leaving this poor little girl with such an dishonest, arrogant-

"Stop thinking so loud!" Monroe was yelling from the living room.

Walking back out with Vesta, she retorted. "Why don't you ignore me? You seem to be pretty good at that."

"Weren't you leaving?" He stood in front of her, glaring.

"I was just on my way out." She turned on her heel, heading for the door.

"No, Tala!" Vesta grabbed her waist, hugging tightly. "Please don't go. I want you to stay with me, to protect me. Is it because you don't like me?"

Tala's heart ripped even more. She kneeled down and took the child in her arms. "Oh sweetie, don't think that. I like you bunches, I swear. Just, Monroe and I have a conflict of interests, so to speak. I can't stay, honey. He'll be here to take care of you." Not that I can trust you to do the job, she sent him, shooting bullets with her eyes over the girl's shoulder.

She began to stand, but was shocked to find that he was right beside her, grabbing her arm forcefully. "Excuse me, Vesta," he said in a low voice, still looking Tala in the eye. "We're going to go have a little chat."

He practically threw her in the master bedroom. She regained her stance, almost falling on the bed.

Slamming the door, he turned on her. "Will you just get over yourself?"

She folded her arms over her chest. "I don't know what you're talking about."

He took his jacket off, throwing it on the floor. "Quit being such a bitch! You keep treating me like you're better than me, like I'm some lowlife that just walked off of the streets to volunteer at the Circle."

"And you treat me like I'm an eyesore! Like I'm a mangy, three-legged dog off of the road, just because you have some idea in your head that werewolves are inferior to vampires."

"Do you want to know why I joined Daybreak? Do you want to know why this mission is so important to me, what we're keeping from you?"

She turned her head. Sure, she was curious, but she was mad. "I could really care less."

"Too bad. I'm going to tell you." He paced the room, not even looking at her. "Ten years ago, I was a witch. That's all. I had a mother, a father, three sisters, and one brother. My oldest sister, Adonia, her husband, and their two-year-old baby lived with us. Life was great, just freaking peachy. Unfortunately, Adonia's husband was a human. When the Night World found out that not only was she breaking laws, but that my whole family was fostering them and their half-witch, half-human child, the Council attacked us. They sent in a pack of wolves and killed them all. I was able to escape, barely, with the baby. Not one of them lived." His voice grew dark. "At the time, I didn't have great faith in Circle Daybreak, since they were so small and insignificant. I did the only thing I knew to do. I took the baby to a healer and asked her to take of it. Without explaining the whole story, I took off.

"An eleven year old boy, hating the Night World and the real world all at one time. I joined a gang of renegades and traveled with them, causing trouble for nine years. Finally, we stepped into territory that we couldn't dominate, and I got hurt, badly. One of my friends had the ingenious idea of changing me while I was dying. The last thing I wanted in the world was to become a vampire. I just wanted to die. Unfortunately, I didn't get a say in the matter.

"I found out a few months later that the baby was being taken care of by Circle Daybreak. I came to look in on her every once in a while, nobody knowing that I was, especially her. After studying them for a while, I realized what a great organization this was, so I joined to help, and to take care of my niece."

"Vesta . . ." Tala hadn't noticed that she was getting so into his story.

Nodding, he continued. "The only person who knew was Thierry. That's how I got on this case. He said I was going to be working with a shifter," his voice suddenly became detached, "but he didn't mention a wolf." Straightening his clothes, he leaned over and grabbed his jacket. "Do whatever you want, Tala. Stay on the job or go home to your mother. It makes no difference to me. I'm here to take care of her, with or without your help."

She got up, reaching his arm as he began to leave the room. "I'm sorry, Monroe. I had no clue . . ."

He jerked his arm away from her. "I don't care, Tala. Like you said earlier, don't talk to me, don't get near me. People can live without their soulmates, and so can I. I've done fine so far." And with that, he walked out of the room.

She couldn't tell if the sound she heard was the slamming of the door, or if it was her heart shattering to pieces. She was aware that she had been overreacting earlier, and it's true, she couldn't stand him. But he didn't even want to take the opportunity to get to know her. He didn't see her as who she was, only what she was.

A wolf. One of a species that had destroyed his life at such an early age, taking away almost everything he had ever known. For that reason alone, she was nothing to him. Even as his soulmate, cosmically bound to him for eternity, he was prejudice against what she had always been, and always would be.

She stood, pulling her keys from her pocket. Walking into the living room, she went directly to Vesta, not even glancing toward Monroe. Picking the girl up, she squeezed her. "I'm going to go somewhere, okay? I'll be back. I can't promise that I'm going to stay, I have to think about some things." She set Vesta back on the ground. Looking into eyes of unforeseen knowledge, she continued. "Monroe will take good care of you until I return. I promise, I'll be back to see you."

Vesta began to pet her hair again, smiling. "Okay. I'll miss you."

Tala was holding back tears. "I'll miss you, too, sweetie. I'll be back soon."

Her sensitive ears picked up the sound of Monroe standing from the couch. Making her way to the car, she ignored the footsteps coming from behind her.

He didn't speak until she got into the car. "Where are you going?"

Her only reply was the sound of the engine revving and a cloud of dust behind her.

  
  


Monroe slammed the door walking back into the house. He saw Vesta look up quickly, so he plastered a smile on his face.

"I don't understand why you don't like her." The little girl was sitting on the floor, playing with some building blocks she had brought from the hospice.

He sighed, sitting next to her on the floor. "We just have some personal differences."

She looked up, meeting his eyes. "Do you not like me because I'm only half white?"

Stupefied, he shook his head. "Of course not. Why would you think that?"

She went back to her toys. "You don't like Tala because she's a werewolf. I'd say that would make you, in an odd way, racist. So what should stop you from disliking me?"

*This girl is smart*. He was still trying to think of an answer, a way to justify his thoughts, when she continued. "Besides, her family isn't the one that killed ours."

Completely dumbfounded, he searched for words. "'Our' family? Vesta, were you listening to us?"

The child rolled her beautiful hazel eyes. "I'm young, not stupid. I mean, I may have been two, but I can remember what happened. The wolves came in and attacked Mom and Dad, and you took me away before they could get me. And I knew when you checked up on me, too. That's not the point, though. I heard her say that you guys are soulmates, when I was in the car and you two were fighting. There's a reason destiny brought you together. But if you want to be a prick and hate her, by all means, continue. I just think it's pretty foolish." She stood, not even looking at him. "I'm going to lay down."

Monroe only sat there, staring at the floor. "Sure." He heard her close one of the bedroom doors and he leaned back against the coffee table. The cell phone in his pocket began to ring. The caller-ID read, "Daybreak."

"This is Pierson."

"Have you made it to the safe house, yet?" Thierry's voice seemed concerned.

Monroe smacked his hand to the side of his head. "Yeah, we're okay. Sorry, I completely forgot to call. We just got here less than an hour ago."

"What took you so long? That should have only been a three hour drive, and you guys have been gone for six."

Shaking his head, he stood and walked to one of the bay windows. "Tala and I got in a small argument and it caused a little bit of a delay."

"Speaking of her, somebody here wants to talk to her. It's her cousin Lupe. Can you put her on the phone?"

He sighed, setting his forehead on the cool glass. "She's not here."

"Where did she go?"

"I don't know. She said she had to go think about some things. She found out that we were keeping something from her."

"How did she figure that out?"

"It's funny, actually." Monroe gave a slight chuckle. "It turns out we're soulmates."

"Well congratulations."

"Don't bust out the champagne just yet, old man. I'm not sure what I think about it, yet, not to mention I probably screwed it up, no matter what I want."

"No matter what *you* want? I'm pretty sure I have it figured out how you messed up." Then Thierry was mumbling something in the background. A feminine voice was saying something inaudible, then he came back on the phone. "Lupe's pretty sure where she'll be. She's gonna go talk to her. In the meantime, work on the mission. Where is Vesta?"

"Sleeping."

"Take this time to read her mind. Figure out what it is that the Council wants from her. I doubt they'd put this much effort into trying to get rid of a half-breed."

"Gotcha. I'll get to work." He set the phone on the counter, heading toward the room the girl would be in. At least he could concentrate on something and get his mind off of the guilt he felt from hurting Tala.

  
  
  
  



	9. Chapter 9

So I took a couple of days. Sue me, it's been hectic. Not to mention I've gotten hardly any reviews on that last chapter. But maybe everyone else has been busy, too. Regardless, here's the next chapter, a little short, but I want to get working on the next chapter.

Adelaide E: Did it shock you that much? =) I'm glad I explained that for you.

Emmanuelle: I didn't like having Thierry refer to her as a half-breed, either, but I was starting to get tired and didn't want to think of another way of saying it.

  
  


*Chapter 9*

  
  


Tala stood at the edge of the Indian reservation. Staring out over the everglades, admiring the full moon, she did something very cliche.

She howled.

She didn't howl to make noise. She did it to let out her emotions. This was a wolf's way of crying. She cried out her pain, blending her beautiful voice with every other noise of nature, composing a song that nobody would hear twice.

All she could do was remember. Here whole life she had never belonged. She had been treated poorly for being a wolf. Even in school, she had hurried her study so that she didn't have to be looked down on. Most of all, she hadn't wanted to be stereotyped with every other werewolf as dumb and lazy.

She felt she had belonged in Daybreak, but now Monroe had proven her wrong.

She started when she heard a noise beside her. Turning, she met kind brown eyes behind a muzzle of grey-brown fur.

*Now, now,* Lupe's wolf voice said. *Is it all really that bad?*

Tala turned her head. *You wouldn't understand.*

The other wolf leaned against her. *Thierry only kept it a secret because he didn't want it to seem personal for you. And you know he'd only send the best for the job.*

*It doesn't matter, Lupe. My feelings toward the Circle will always be warm, and I know that I can get over this . . .*

*But what about Monroe?* Lupe laid on the grass, stretching out her paws.

*He hates me. My own soulmate can't see who I am on the inside. Maybe I am typical.*

*Don't ever think that! Maybe the universe can be cruel sometimes, but everything always turns out for the best. And so what if he can't see how great you are? So many other people do.*

Tala began to pace. *Of all places to feel right, I'd think it would be with the other half of my soul.*

*So ignore him. Play his game. And if his feelings don't change, then you'll find a way to move on. Right now, you need to focus on the girl. You were assigned to protect her, and you have never given up a charge before.*

Tala straightened her shoulders. *I don't know. I guess I can try . . .*

Lupe jumped up on all fours. *There you go. Come on. Let's go have some fun before you have to go back on your mission.*

Chasing after her, Tala let all of the things on her mind drift away with the wind. It was time for work.

  
  


Monroe heard the door open from his bed, but wasn't worried. He had felt Tala's mind from the car. He stood, walking slowly out of the room. Now if only he could remember what he had practiced.

He came across her in the foyer. "Listen, Tala-"

She cut him off with a wave of a hand. Nothing was coming from her mind. "Monroe, what was said was said. We have personal issues that we will deal with later. For the time being, we need to finish this mission. No matter what you think of me, we do have to get along. I don't know if I can trust you as a partner, but I know I can trust you with the care of Vesta." She walked toward the kitchen, continuing to talk whether he followed or not. Of course, he followed. "Did you find anything when you searched her mind?"

He was still slowly gathering her speech in his mind. "Um, no. I can't see anything. I'm going to have to do more research. But, Tala, I really want to-"

She was pulling things out of the cupboard, but stopped to look him in the eyes."Don't say you're sorry, because you don't mean in. Just because you feel guilty does not mean you're sorry."

He was speechless. Staring at her, all he could see was a white strand of hair, waving in front of her eyes.

*Stop that,* he thought, looking away quickly. *She's a wolf for crying out loud.*

"And if you expect us to be able to work together, you need to keep your indignant thoughts to yourself. I don't want to hear things like you just thought anymore." She began stirring something. "I'm keeping all of my hateful thoughts quiet, if you haven't noticed, and I would prefer that you do the same. It will make working conditions much easier. Now, with the mission, I think I've formed a game-plan."

"So you're staying?"

He knew it was a dumb question when she turned to look at him. "Have I just been talking to myself for the last ten minutes? Yes, I'm staying on the mission. Here," she handed him a mug of coffee, "even though you're a vampire, you're going to need it. We need to break this case down detail by detail."

He just stood, watching her move around the kitchen efficiently. She was like a well oiled machine, and she was going to take care of this case.

Now if only he could do his part.

  
  
  
  
  
  



	10. Chapter 10

::Sigh:: I work so hard . . . =) The reviews will come in, I just know it. ::Thinks happy thoughts:: Hehehe. Anyway, here comes another chapter, longer than most of my others.

Blaise: You are always so eager for more chapters! So funny. Thanks for your support, please keep reading.

plot-less: Yeah, the reviews are a little lacking, but it's okay. I work hard for my few supporters. =) And for those who don't review, whether they like it or not. Thank you for reviewing. I like to portray Monroe as a jerk . . . my bitter feelings toward men at the moment, I suppose. I hope this chapter shows a softer side for you. It'll take a while for a good Monroe transition, since he's so stuck up, but maybe we'll see one.

Adelaide E.: I like the idea of a good Monroe ass-whooping by Tala. She almost got her chance when they were in the mangroves a few chapters ago. Gives me some ideas though, so we'll see. Hopefully you'll like his attitude in this chapter better.

  
  


*Chapter 10*

  
  


Dropping her head to the cool counter-top, Tala shifted the barstool to get more comfortable.

"I don't think so." Monroe took the seat out from under her so that she barely caught herself. "We're not done yet."

She started to do her puppy whine. "Come on . . . I've been up for twenty-six hours!" She pointed up at the comical cat clock, its eyes shifting and tail wagging with the seconds. The hands indicated that it was going on six o'clock in the morning. "And my sleep wasn't that good the other night because of *your* snoring!"

He only shrugged his shoulders, going back to his seat across from her. "It was your idea to work on this until we had it figured out." She persisted with her eyes. "Let's go over what we have so far."

She mumbled something obscene, readjusting her seat. "Nothing. That's what we have. A snitch told Daybreak that she was valuable for the Night World side in the Millennium Battle, especially if they lose the last Wild Power. There's nothing in the prophecies about her, and she's too young to be the last Wild Child. She's half-witch, therefore giving her some power, but we've never seen her do anything to prove that." She sighed, leaning her head on her hand. "Is there anything you remember about her as a baby?"

He rolled his head back, cracking his neck. "Let's see . . . As far as I can remember, she never showed anything significant to power. Her name, Vesta, means 'Guardian of the sacred fire.' I know Adonia and Charles picked a fire name, because she had fire in her eyes when she was born."

Tala laughed. "It's still there. There's no evading them."

"You're telling me." He ran a hand through his hair.

"But there's so many fire names. I wonder why that one stood out. I mean, I can't remember the last time I heard that name anywhere."

"Adonia said the name came to her in a dream. Our grandmother told her the baby was born for the name."

"Sounds like a vision to me." She began to pace the room. "Well, I doubt her name is going to show us anything." She stopped in front of the calendar on the wall next to the stove. Christmas Eve. She could almost taste the dinner her mother would make. Too bad she couldn't be there.

"Go take a nap." He was standing, piling the papers they had been going through. "I need to feed anyway. I'll wake you up in an hour or so, since she'll be getting up soon."

Tala almost ran to her room, making sure he didn't change his mind. Closing the door, she began to shift. The only way she'd be able to get a decent hour's worth of sleep was if she was in her wolf form. Shaking out her fur, she hopped onto the mattress. She dug at it with her paws, making a comfortable spot amidst the comforter. Unfortunately, she didn't have her opposable thumb, so she had to use her teeth to pull back the sheets, snuggling securely underneath them. It was almost dark enough to block out the rising sun.

Just as she was drifting away she heard the door open. She gave a light growl, warning the visitor that she wanted to sleep. Hearing the footsteps, she sniffed the air, sensing that the person crawling in her bed was Vesta.

The little girl cuddled up to her, hugging her warm body close to the wolf. Tala settled back with a sigh as a tiny hand began to scratch her belly. This girl knew exactly what she needed.

Falling to sleep, she felt an unbearable happiness filling her soul, knowing somebody loved her the way she was. Her last thought slipped out as her dream took over.

*Too bad Monroe doesn't . . .*

  
  


Standing in the doorway, watching the little girl laying with the wolf, Monroe winced. Tala didn't guard those last few thoughts. He knew she didn't mean for him to hear it, but with the soulmate connection and his strong psychic abilities, it was really hard to miss. Not to mention, she hadn't known he was standing there.

He sulked off to the living room, leaving Vesta and Tala to their nap. He sat on the couch. He didn't really feel the need to feed at the moment. Cartoons were wacking each other with mallets on the television, but he didn't seem to take it in. All he could think about was her.

Her beautiful honey-colored hair with its curious white lines. Those stunning green eyes just asking for trouble. He sank further into the couch, his heart torn between her and his past. Of course he wanted to love her, she was his soulmate. She was gorgeous beyond means, and her attitude was fierce. She was a fighter with a softness for the underdog. But she was a wolf.

He cringed. He didn't mean to, but it came anyway. Not so much revulsion or disgust, more like hateful irritation. All of the wolves he had ever met were as dumb as a box of rocks. Put them all together, they might be able to find their way out of a paper bag. Yes, they were loyal to the side they fought for, but they were also the greatest casualties. And they had caused him so much pain . . .

*But she's different,* a part of his mind, the sensible part, whispered. *Get over your foolish pride and accept her for who she is, not what she is.* It was funny, the voice sounded just like his sister's, which he hadn't heard in ten years . . .

He glanced over to his side to see her sitting beside him. He sighed. "I fell asleep, didn't I?"

She nodded. Her long locks of mahogany hair draped over her shoulders, eyes the same color of his own looking at him cynically. "You're an idiot, you realize that?"

"Yes, your daughter brought that to my attention yesterday, thank you." He directed his position toward her. "Is that the only reason you're here? To remind me that I don't know how to live my life?"

She shook her head, chuckling. "Look at what you've become. Arrogant, confused, blind."

"I've heard arrogant, but blind is new. Please explain." He set his head on his hand.

"You can't see how great everything is around you. All you see is yourself and the views that you've set. Tala, for example. She is amazing. I can't believe you're so lucky to receive such a great soulmate."

"Great? She's a damn wolf! I see that as misfortune."

"See, that's how you're blind. It doesn't matter that she's probably the greatest woman to enter your life, since me, that is." She gave him a knowing smile. "Okay, maybe arrogance runs in the family. Anyway, you're too stuck in the past to see that she's unlike your ideas of a werewolf. She's bright, sarcastic, well, she's me as a shifter."

This was his turn to laugh. He got up, walking around the couch. "You don't think I know that? I just can't go back to when I was an idealistic kid, thinking everybody's okay until they do something wrong! You were killed by one of them." He pointed toward the bedroom. "Or did you forget that?"

She stood, glaring right into his eyes. "No, I was killed by the Night World for wanting to live my own life, and because of that my whole family died. Had we been killed by other witches would you have hated yourself?"

He looked away, knowing she was right. "I can't forget the pain. I had nothing, except for Vesta, and I couldn't take care of her."

His sister set a hand on his shoulder, leading him to the open bedroom door where his niece and his soulmate lay sleeping. "Look at that." She pointed at the protective way Tala held Vesta with her arms, her muzzle set on her chest. "Sure, all you have is Vesta, and you can take care of her now. But what you don't realize is that you have Tala, as well, and she loves that little girl as if she were her own niece. I couldn't ask for two better people to look after my daughter."

He smiled, turning to her. "Why do you have to make so much sense?"

She shrugged. "Who knows? I know it won't happen overnight, but try to see her as the person she is, Monroe. I love you, and whether she says it or not, she loves you, too. Before you know it, you'll feel the same way."

She began to walk away, heading toward the front door. "By the way," she added, walking outside. "Keep looking into the name. That'll tell you what you're looking for. Granny told me to name her that for a reason."

"Wait!" He was jerked awake by the slamming of a door. Looking up, he saw a blond wolf with white highlights and eager forest eyes turning her head at him. Vesta had a hand on the door to the bedroom, which she had just closed.

The wolf trotted off toward the kitchen as Vesta sat next to her uncle. She looked him over, then smiled. "She came to see you, didn't she?"

"You're too smart for your own good." He looked toward the front door, almost expecting to see Adonia standing there, smiling. "Just like your mother." He grinned to himself. Goddess, he missed her.

"Did she talk any sense into you? I asked her to try, since I figured my pep talk didn't work."

He laughed, hard. "Meddling in my love life, geesh." He scooped her up and set her in his lap, holding her tight. "I love you, fire girl."

She hugged him back. "I love you, too, idiot."

"It's like an after-school special," Tala said, walking in on two legs, eating a piece of fast food chicken. "The morals we learn from my vampire uncle and the wolf caretaker. Wait, maybe it's a white trash talk show."

The little girl laughed, jumping from his lap and running to the open arms of Tala. They held each other close. Barely noticing, a grin grew upon his face.

Tala stood, pulling her hair back. "What the Hell is that smirk on your face for? Wipe it off and get your ass into the kitchen. We've got work to do."

He shook his head, chuckling. Yeah, she was just like Adonia. He smacked the back of her head playfully as he ran into the kitchen. The shifter ran after him, yelling something about staking him when the mission was over.


	11. Chapter 11

I couldn't wait for reviews this time. =) I was just so excited about this chapter. I hope you guys like cliff-hangers. Hehehehe. I know. I'm evil.

  
  


*Chapter 11*

  
  


"You're not that Haley Joel Whats-his-face, are you?" Tala looked around quickly. "If I start seeing fog for breath and you say, 'I see dead people,' I'm hauling ass out of here."

She smiled when she saw him laughing. It warmed her somehow . . . oh right, business. Remember, he hates you. "Okay, so your sis said we should pay attention to the name. 'Guardian of the sacred fire' you said, right?"

"Yeah. I have no clue what it could mean. It almost seems as if it would fit into the Wild Power mumbo jumbo, except she's too young."

"What exactly is a sacred fire?"

"There's many different versions." He leaned back, putting his hands behind his head. "Greek mythology, with Prometheus taking fire from the Gods and bringing it to the people of Mount Olympus. Christianity has something, too, I think. The one I can probably relate best is from Celtic mythology, though."

"What's that one about?" She was interested. She'd heard the Prometheus story before, but nothing about Celtic history.

"Fire was very sacred to ancient Celts. The hearth-fire was never allowed to die, except during the fire festival of Beltane, then it was ritually rekindled from the royal fire. It was the center of community activity. The sacred fire was also used for divination and druids."

Tala nodded, going excitedly at an itch on the back of her head.

"Fleas?"

"Stop with the dog jokes, jack ass. I don't like them." She stood, trying to emphasize her distaste.

He held his hands up. "Sorry. I just thought we were getting along for once and I figured it would be funny."

"Well, obviously, you don't get me. Just because you're getting along with me now doesn't mean anything. For all I know you could still be a back-stabbing twit, and cracking wolf jokes is just plain obnoxious."

He stood, meeting her stance from the other side of the counter. "Oh, now I'm obnoxious? I wish you could make up your bloody mind about me. One second you wish I cared about you, the next you hate me!"

"What did I tell you about my thoughts? Ignore them!" She was almost yelling. "And bloody? When did you become British?"

"The only possible way to not hear your thoughts would be if you quit thinking all together, which would probably be safer for all mankind. And my family came from England thank you very much. Where did your's derive from? Oh wait, let me guess. 'American Werewolf in London'? No, you're not cultured enough for that."

"Oh that's it." She dove across the counter-top, trying to reach him. He jumped back, but she managed to land on her feet gracefully. "What, afraid?"

"Bring it on, Poochy."

She felt her temper flare, and, without control, she began to shift. She reached for him again, but he moved just out of her reach. A look of shock crossed his features. Soulmate or not, he was going to pay for this.

She continued to attack while he dodged, until they had made their way into the yard behind the house. If they had neighbors, they'd be amazed to see a wolf trying to attack a man in public like this.

Finally, she managed to snap and hit something . . . his ankle. She cringed when she heard him yell in pain.

"Stop it, you two!" Vesta was standing a few feet from them. "You can't keep doing this!"

Tala turned to look at the girl. Big mistake. The foot connected to the ankle she had just released made contact with her muzzle.

She yelped, falling back. Pulling herself up, a deep growl emanated from her throat. She was beyond pissed now. With as much power as she could conjure, she leapt onto him, knocking him to the ground and the air from his lungs. Though he struggled, she had him pinned. Teeth barred, breathing heavy, she was debating between ripping out his throat or just marring his beautiful face. His face would be fun, but the throat would keep him from talking for the next few hours until it healed.

"I said stop!" The girl screamed.

Before she knew what was happening, Tala was surrounded by a ring of fire. She jumped off of Monroe, looking for a way out. Where did this come from? She glanced quickly at the girl. Her eyes were a bright red, power coming out of her soul in waves of heat.

"Oh goddess," Monroe whispered.

Tala turned to him, beginning to shift back, only to get stuck in her half-form. All annoyance flushed from her mind. All she could feel was panic . . . and dawning realization. "She's a fire-starter."

He nodded, ignoring her change. "'Guardian of the sacred fire.' It's the fire of the ancient Celts. Since she's half-hearth-woman by blood, she holds the power to control it."

"Can she stop it?" She was getting unbearably hot. "Because I have a feeling were toast in a few seconds, and not even you can outlive this."

He called out to the child. "Vesta, please calm down. We have to get out of here. Please stop it!"

The fire was gone from the girl's eyes, but now she looked desperate. "I don't know how!"

"What are we going to do?" Tala was scared. The fire was getting more intense, picking up dead leaves and brush, causing the flames to rise. She could possibly jump it, even in her current state, but Monroe . . .

"Do it." He gave her a stern look. "Get out of here."

"No, what about you? I can't let you die."

"Why not? You'd probably be better off." He turned his head, pain stretching across his face.

The fire was dangerously close now. "Because," she said, backing up, digging her back paws into the ground. "I can't bare missing the other half of my soul." With that, she bounded straight into him, shoving him as hard as he could . . .

Right into the fire.

  
  
  
  
  
  



	12. Chapter 12

I bet you guys are mad at me b/c of that last chapter . . . hehehehe. I know, I'm cruel. This one *definitely* makes up for it, I swear! Anyway, since the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the Super Bowl tonight (Woo Hoo!!!!!! Ronde Barber and John Lynch are hot! Okay, girly stuff done), I have dedicated myself to putting out not only a long chapter, but a few of them. I hope you enjoy!

Emmanuelle: I had to do that in Chapter 11, I felt it was needed. I hope you understand. =) And thanks so much for the compliment. It could probably be better, in my opinion, but I love to make you guys happy with fast updates. Not to mention, if I take too long, I'll never get around to finishing. Hell, I tried that with 'Discovery,' and I stopped working on it for almost four whole months! Never again will I make that mistake.

Zabella: A person of many words, I see. Hehehe. Don't worry, I didn't plan on making everyone wait too long for what happened.

Adelaide E: I'm telling ya, I love to portray men as idiots. Fortunately, unlike the real world, I write them getting smarter eventually. Especially this chapter. You have to love dawning realization. It's like a refreshing slap to the face. As for the reviews, I'm not really that concerned, either. I have you and my few others that are completely devoted to this story, and that makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. =) Thanks for the continual support!

Blaise: I hope you're satisfied with this chapter. It'll help clear up some of that Monroe nonsense that he's been dragging around. Thanks for the review!

plot-less: I wanted to make it a warm-and-happy-family-fuzzy-feeling. I hope I succeeded! I'm not sure how many chapters it will be. I imagine at least another six to ten, but there's no telling! Enjoy this chapter. I'm trying to keep that fuzzy feeling going. =)

  
  


*Chapter 12*

  
  


Tumbling head over feet out of the fire, Tala felt a searing pain on her left hind leg. Something was batting at it viciously. She glanced back to see Monroe putting out mild flames on her fur.

Faintly, she could feel the soulmate bond begin, the power of it and the heat of the inferno behind her being too much for her to handle. She saw Vesta running out of the house with a fire extinguisher, and then everything went black.

  
  


*Ow!* Tala jerked up, seeing a friendly face with hair the color of Hellewise's, a cooling cloth coming at her. Or at least it looked like a cooling cloth. Strong scents of chamomile and jasmine floated to her senses as the moist towel was set on her forehead.

"What brings you to this neck of the woods, Thea?" Tala tried to sit up, noticing her completely human state, but the pain was unbearable.

The Harman looked at her with kind brown eyes. "Eric and I were vacationing on Miami Beach when Thierry paged us to come here quickly. You're badly burned, but the healing process is coming along quite nicely."

"Oh Goddess." Tala closed her eyes. "I'm so sorry you had to come here."

The other girl shook her head. "It's okay, Tala. It's well worth it, especially since I get to meet that gem of a witch out there. I can't believe her power!"

Shaking her head, Tala remembered the fire. "I can't believe I didn't realize it. The fire that filled the house when we saved her should have been a clue."

Thea was gathering her healing materials. "Everything's always clearer in hindsight. You should get some rest." The girl walked out of the room.

Tala barely noticed the vampire standing at the door. She couldn't feel his mental presence, but the horrible pain coursing through her body took up most of her attention. She started when he sat beside her.

"Are you okay?" Monroe's eyes were swirling with dark passion, concern seeping from every part of his face.

She closed her eyes again. "I'm fine, just painful. I'll live, unfortunate for you. That's the last time I save your ass, that's for sure."

She heard him chuckle. "Yes, you did save my life. And I can't thank you enough."

She turned her head quickly toward him. Well, as quickly as the pain would let her. She looked him up and down. "You called Thierry because I passed out?"

He nodded. "I had no clue what to do. I was so worried, I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

Putting her hand to her head, she sighed. "Okay, let me get this straight. Yesterday you hate me, today you insult me, and now you care about my well-being? Did that child hypnotize you or something?"

"No, Tala, you're my soulmate. I just-"

He had reached for her hand. She jerked it back, sucking in a breath. "And I'm a wolf. You can't stand what I am and I'm not just going to sit around, letting my feelings grow for you, so you can remember that the next time I change in front of you! I will not be loved because some supernatural bond is forcing the other person." She rolled on her side, carefully, away from him. "Just because you're too blind to see who I am rather than what species I am is not a fault in me, it's a flaw in you."

"Tala, I'm trying to make it up, I swear." He wasn't getting mad. Instead, she felt him lean over the bed, near her face. His voice was light and apologetic. "I promise. I'll find a way to prove it to you." With that said, a gentle spark touched her cheek. As quickly as it had come, it was gone. She turned to watch him leave the room.

The tears she had been holding back spilled over her cheeks. A hushed sob escaped her throat, and then she couldn't stop it. One after the other, the gasps of pain, emotional and physical, came from her mouth.

She hadn't expected him to kiss her. And what's more, he kissed the exact spot on her jaw where she knew a bruise was forming from his accidental kick. He had sent that feeling to her in their one brief second of connection, his sorrow and disappointment in himself for having gotten out of control and hitting her like he had.

Her sobs hadn't gone unheard. A small hand began to run through her hair, and a tiny weight came onto the bed. "It's okay," Vesta whispered. "Let it out. Everyone needs a good cry now and then."

So Tala did. She cried on end, letting out all of her grief and anguish. The little girl sat there comforting her until well after she had fallen to sleep.

  
  


Monroe paced the kitchen. He felt the sobbing in the mental connection, whether she knew it or not. He was glad when she fell asleep. He didn't want to have to feel that pain anymore.

All he wanted was to make it better. In one spontaneous second, she had proved that his years of hatred and prejudice had been ill-spent. He had held a ten year grudge against a species for no reason, and despite that, a wolf saved him.

The wolf that he loved.

The thought making him stop walking, he looked at the calendar right in front of him. Tomorrow was Christmas. It hadn't been a celebrated holiday for him in over a decade.

Then he knew what to do. Maybe it wouldn't convince her that he loved her, but it would show her that he was trying to change . . . for her.

He grabbed his cell phone, dialing the number for the Daybreak hospice by memory. "Thierry? It's Pierson. Is Lupe anywhere around there?"

  
  


"Come on puppy breath. Time to get up." Tala heard a voice from somewhere, but she really didn't want to reply.

Suddenly a charge went through her arm. She sat up quickly, awaken from her unbelievably great slumber. She looked at Monroe's extended hand next to her arm. "Goddess! Does that ever go away?"

He smiled sarcastically. "I don't know. I've never had a soulmate before. Maybe you should call Hannah and ask her."

She rolled her eyes, beginning to nestle into her warm spot. She wanted to go back to sleep.

"I don't think so." She felt a cool breeze and glanced up to see that Monroe had taken the sheet away from her. Still, he held a grin on his face.

"What the Hell are you so happy for?" She began to move herself to the edge of the bed. Lifting up onto her feet, she felt amazingly refreshed, with barely any pain at all.

"It's Christmas, and I have a surprise for you."

"If it's a chew toy or dog biscuits, I swear I'll rip your throat out this time." She made her way toward the shower. A set of clothes were already set out for her. "What's this?"

"Hurry up and get ready." That was his only response before he headed out of the room.

She shook her head, turning on the warm water. She climbed into the fiberglass tub, letting the steam clear her lungs. What had Thea given her? She felt fantastic. The heat stung at her bruise slightly.

Stepping out and wrapping a towel around herself, she wiped away the condensation from the mirror and looked at herself. The purple on her jaw wasn't that bad. It hurt a lot worse than it looked.

She walked out to the living room to be attacked by Vesta. "Merry Christmas!" The little girl clung on to her.

Tala ruffled her hair. "You, too, kiddo."

Suddenly something went over her eyes. Her body started to react in defense, but arms went around.

"Calm down," Monroe said in her ear. The voice sent chills through her body. He chuckled. "This is for your Christmas surprise."

"Are you going to kill me? Because you could have let the fire do that yesterday." She felt herself being lead outside. "I thought witches didn't celebrate Christmas. You guys do Yule or something, right?"

"We celebrate whatever we want."

She was being guided into a seat in her car. "Hey, who said you could drive my car?"

"I'm trying to do something nice for you, so shut up already. Just sit back and enjoy the ride."

Tala mumbled something unintelligible. "I hate surprises."

"You'll like this one." He said it with finality, ending the conversation. He turned the radio up as he pulled out of the driveway. The words of Enya filled the car.

*Who can say where the road goes, where the day flows? Only time.*

*And who can say if your heart grows, as your heart chose? Only time.*

She laughed, thinking how sweetly ironic the words were. She let her mind drift away as the lyrics sank into her soul. She ignored Monroe's mental presence and let the darkness the blindfold provided guide her into a light slumber.

  
  


Something smelled familiar. Tala knew she hadn't been asleep long, but she could taste something in the air. Something . . . known . . .

There it was. *Home.* She was almost jerked back by the seatbelt as she tried to get closer to it. A hand smacked her own as she made for the tie of the kerchief over her eyes.

"Not yet, cheater," Vesta said playfully.

She reached out with her hand, looking for Monroe. She caught his sleeve, grasping tightly. "Monroe, are we . . ." She left the question hanging in the air. She was beyond stunned.

She felt the car slow to a stop. "Go ahead. Take it off."

Throwing the cloth from her head, tears were already brimming her eyes. The quiet neighborhood, the quaint little blue house with tacky green shutters . . . and just outside the door stood Lupe and her mother.

She was running as fast as she could. Within seconds she was in her mother's arms, crying almost hysterically. Tala hadn't seen her in almost a year because of how busy she'd been with school and Circle Daybreak. She felt her mother's sobs vibrating her body.

They eventually detached, only for her to repeat the episode with her father. He held her protectively. "My little girl."

Withdrawing, her cousin gave her a sarcastic smile. "Merry Christmas."

Tala wiped the tears from her cheeks. "What's that look for?"

"Nothing," Lupe giggled, trotting into the house.

Turning, Tala saw Monroe and Vesta coming up the walk. Before she could realize what she was doing, she had pulled him to her, hugging him close. Their bond flared, but she didn't care. "Thank you so much. You don't know what this means to me."

She wasn't surprised to feel him arms wrap around her gently. "I think I do."

Pulling away, she immediately missed his warmth. She turned her head quickly so that he couldn't see her smile, pretty sure that he already knew what she was thinking. Picking up Vesta, she began to carry her into the house. "Come on, cutie. I've got some important people for you to meet."

"I'm coming," Monroe chuckled from behind her.

She shook her head, taking his arm with her free one. She lead them into the house for a massive introduction to the family.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	13. Chapter 13

::sigh:: Fair warning, I was in an unbelievably sappy mood when I wrote this. I hope you guys like romance.

Adelaide E: Yeah, I'm such a pain, ain't I? Come on, you can't tell me that you weren't dying for a good Monroe. Okay, maybe you can. When I start my original (when I'm finished with this) I'll let you know, so you can read it and hate the beginning male character I'll introduce. You'll hate him for as long as he's in it, I swear.

Blaise: I'm glad you like the wolf-love I express. I hope you like this chapter, I keep it up the whole time!

Emmanuelle: I was totally ready to make this chapter action packed, but unfortunately I got bit by the romance bug. Dammit. Don't worry, I already have the next chapter plotted out, and there will be some major ass kicking going on. =)

  
  


*Chapter 13*

  
  


The situation was awkward at first, especially for Monroe. When Tala presented him to her family, who happened to be about twenty-five members of a species he just recently became accepting of, she introduced him as her "partner." Nothing about soulmates . . .

Of course, it could have been worse. She could have said he was a wolf-hater.

Vesta was just his niece. For security of the charge, nobody could know about their recent discovery, except those involved with the case. And the way Lupe kept grinning at him knowingly all day, he had a feeling she had been filled in on too much.

He eventually pulled her aside. "What are you grinning about?"

"You love her," she laughed.

"And your point is?" He raised his eyebrows, trying to understand the girl.

"Nothing, I just think this was a really great way of showing it to her."

He shook his head, sighing. "I don't think it actually proved anything to her." He glanced over to the beautiful blond girl dancing expertly with a man that had the same colored hair. Salsa music was beating from the stereo. They really knew how to celebrate.

"Keep in mind, Monroe," Lupe said, grabbing his attention again, "She's still a little hurt from your earlier behavior."

He nodded. "I didn't expect her to love me because of this. I just wanted to prove that I realized what an idiot I've been, and I'm willing to do whatever I can to take it back."

"I think we should hush." She looked over his shoulder. "She's coming over here as we speak." He watched her straighten her blouse as she turned to her cousin. "Speaking of the devil."

Monroe's jaw almost dropped when she said that. Tala replied with a giggle. "I thought someone was talking about me. My ears were burning."

Before he could defend himself, Lupe was doing it for him. "Monroe here was just telling me how beautiful you looked dancing and wanted a shot at it himself." The girl proceeded to walk away, but not without giving him a sly wink behind Tala's back.

"I- um, I can't really . . ." He didn't know how to explain.

"Let me guess, you're not a good dancer?" She smiled. Her face radiated happiness. "Take a look over there." She pointed in the direction of a tan boy shaking himself as if he were having a seizure. "Don't worry, we're all family. Nobody is going to criticize you for how you look out there, as long as you're having a good time."

*Family,* he thought. It warmed him. "I just . . ." He still couldn't find the words. Finally, he shrugged, putting up his hands in defense.

Shaking her head, she grabbed his hand, pulling him out to the center of the living room that was being used as a dance floor. "I'll have them change the song." She looked down at their hands. "Hey, it's not so much of a shock when you extend the length of connection."

It took him a second to realize she meant the soulmate connection. He was still amazed that he was about to make a royal ass out of himself.

He was surprised again when the song changed to a slow dance. This, he was pretty sure, he could do. He let her lean into his chest, hands settling on her waist. He felt her body relax as she wrapped her arms around his neck and let her head fall to his shoulder. Resting his cheek against her hair, it seemed as if nobody else was there, only these two souls dancing in the wind. It was the most wonderful feeling in the world.

*Isn't it?*

He moved his head to look her in the eyes. Had she heard that?

*What? You think you're the only one that can read thoughts here?*

He thought for a moment. He hadn't known she was a telepath.

Her laugh filled his mind in some sort of painful pleasure. *I'm not. It's the soulmate connection. Our souls, minds, and hearts become one together.*

When she said it, he knew it was true. And he'd never be the same without her again.

She was going on. *Thank you so much for doing this. I mean, this must be so hard, being surrounded by us . . . wolves . . .*

He stopped her train of thought. *What you did yesterday showed me how naive I was. Werewolves are people, too. They're beautiful.* He smiled, holding her gaze. He ran his fingertips down her cheek. *You're beautiful.*

She blushed, looking away. Resuming her position on his shoulder, she continued. *I really don't know how to thank you.*

Breathing in her scent, he chuckled. *Seeing you this happy is enough.* He moved his head back slightly, allowing her to look up. He caught her chin with his hand, lifting her lips toward his own.

Just as he was about to make contact, she pulled back. He felt confusion fill her mind before she let go of him, breaking the connection. Her eyes were bright and wild. Shaking her head, she whispered. "I can't." She backed away slowly. "I'm sorry." She turned and walked off of the floor.

Monroe hadn't noticed that the music had picked back up. He saw a few dancers had stopped to watch. One being Lupe. He met her stare. *What did I do wrong?*

The girl shook her head, biting her lip. She walked up to him, pulling apart from the crowd. "She's probably just flustered. Remember, yesterday you treated her like dirt, and now suddenly you're mister nice guy. She needs time. And a friend." That was her way of hinting that she'd go talk to her.

He nodded solemnly. "You get it, don't you?"

"Yeah, I do." She looked in the direction Tala had gone. "But I wasn't the one that was hurt, either."

He left her in search of Vesta. That little girl always knew how to cheer him up. Even if it involved being insulted.

  
  


Tala sat on the swing set, watching her little cousins run around in their half-forms. She laughed lightly, remembering what it was like to be that carefree.

She turned to smile as Lupe sat in the swing beside her. "You ever miss that?" Tala asked, pointing over to the children.

"Being a pup? Or being in between stages? Because I do that every night." Lupe began to sway back and forth, picking up momentum.

"Just not caring about anything." She started to swing herself. "Going out and not having to worry about whether you could trust someone. Didn't have to worry about love."

Lupe slowed. "I hate to point this out to you, but you don't have to do that either, honey. Love? You have your soulmate. You never have to worry about that again. Trust? You can read it in his mind if you wanted."

Tala shook her head. "Everyday that I've known him, he's been a different person. Upon meeting he loathed me. Then he just was mean, even though he didn't want to be. Now he is a person that I had no clue existed. Caring, charming . . . what happened?"

Lupe leaned her head to the side, as if the situation was right in front of her to analyze. "He was hit with reality, Tala. He brought you here not just to make you happy, but to show you that he wants to be the person you need. He loves you. If you don't want to accept that, then I don't know what to tell you."

After a few seconds of silence, Lupe got up. "You sit here and think. I'm going to go help your mom with dinner."

Tala nodded, swinging a little. She sat, thinking of Monroe. Her mind was no where near the mission anymore. They had discovered what the Night World would want with a twelve year old half-witch. She imagined Thierry was letting them have the holiday, and then Vesta would be taken to Vegas to be trained on her powers at the Wild Power safe house. It seemed the most logical.

And of course she'd go with Vesta. She didn't want to leave her, especially to a place filled with strangers. Maybe she could take some time from doing missions, seeing as how stressful this one had been so far. A nice semester off in Vegas did sound interesting . . . especially if Monroe was going to stay with Vesta . . .

She was startled when someone stopped her swing, then pushed it lightly. She turned to see Monroe out of the corner of her eye. She smiled, knowing suddenly what she wanted.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked, not missing a stride of her swing.

She spoke honestly. "You."

"What about me?" His voice was filled with curiosity.

She stopped herself, moving to look at him. "What I'm going to do about you."

He kneeled at her side, looking her in the eyes. "And what exactly would that be?" His expression was one of worry.

Reaching out, she ran a hand through his chestnut curls. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe this?" Slowly, she brought her face close to his. Taking the hint, he moved in, putting his lips on hers.

*Magic.* That was the only word she could think to explain it. The feeling of his soft mouth, the gentle way he held her, his hand running through her hair. It was undescribable.

The soulmate bond grew deeper than she had felt it before. A pink haze filled her mind's vision, giving a complete sense of *him.* She felt how much he had wanted this, to take her in his arms and kiss her. He had hurt when she had been crying the day before. All he had wanted was to make it better, to prove to her how much she meant to him, and how he'd go to the ends of the earth to bring her one second of happiness. He wanted to show her how much he cared.

*Not just care,* he sent her. *I want to show you how much I love you.*

A wave of warmth drenched her whole entire body. She tingled from head to toe, his love and concern wrapping around her mind, protecting her from the world and anyone that didn't approve of her.

*I'm sorry I ever hurt you, Tala. Had I opened my eyes and seen how wonderful wolves were, how wonderful you are, I would have never done those things. I was just so proud and defensive-*

*It's okay, Monroe. You know now. You're trying to make it up. You don't know how much that means to me.*

His physical body held hers tighter. *I'd do anything for you. I love you.*

She smiled mentally, relaxing. *And I love you.*

She just sat, basking in his warmth, until a giggle interrupted their interlude. Snapping back to reality , Tala turned to see Vesta grinning beside them.

The girl put her hands on her hips. "It's about time."

Monroe reached out and grabbed Vesta, bringing her into a bear hug. "I don't want to hear it, brat."

"Hey, let go!" She stepped back, fixing her hair. "I was told to bring you guys in for dinner."

Tala smiled. "We'll be right in, sweetie."

As the little girl walked away, she stood, only to be pulled into his arms. "What are you doing now, hot shot?"

He kissed her again quickly, passionately. Pulling away, he whispered, "That."

She couldn't keep the grin off of her face. "Come on, let's join the family at the trough." She took his hand and walked inside, dizzy from her new revelation of love.

  
  
  
  



	14. Chapter 14

Don't worry, I'm alive! I can't believe I took a day off from writing, but last night I was in a pretty sour mood and didn't want it to affect this chapter. Enjoy! R/R so I know whatcha think. =)

Emmanuelle: Yeah, I just thought she deserved some affection. Everybody needs love . . . well, she did, anyway. Hehehe.

Adelaide E: I think you're psychic, I really do. Keep your review in mind as you read this chapter. I like it when people are bad-asses, too. I don't think Monroe will stay such a wuss. Just read.

plot-less: I think you're psychic, too. If you want a surprise, I think you'll enjoy this chapter.

Tamashii: I only update fast b/c I've been sitting home a lot lately. Not going out and partying like the normal twenty-year-old should. Eh, oh well. I'm making people happy! Are you working on a new summary for me yet? =) Hehehe.

Forest Elfin: Thank you so much for the LJS compliment! It means so much to get those. I really like to bring in her type of atmosphere in the stories. Keep reading, and please enjoy.

Amphitrite: Thanks for the constructive criticism. I feel it's missing something as well, as if I rushed it. I almost feel the same about this chapter. But, when you have a passion inside you, you try not to ignore it! =) Plus, I like to have the quick updates. If I take too much time, the people listed above you may throw stuff @ me. Hehehe. Thanks for the review. I hope you enjoy this next chapter!

Hedge: I hope this ass-kicking is good for you, because it's only the beginning! Do the girly stuff, but in the privacy of your own room so no one laughs. Hehehe. Thank you so much for the character and story compliments!

  
  


*Chapter 14*

  
  


Tala looked at the plate in front of her and almost laughed. It was really odd to see a group of werewolves, witches, some various other shifters, and one vampire breaking bread over something that didn't really benefit them nutritionally. There were mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, ham, and other various holiday foods. The shapeshifters could eat and be filled, but no power came from eating this stuff. The witches usually went for more herbal-enhanced diets. Monroe on the other hand . . .

Tala giggled when she saw him eye the ham. He was eating, but very little. She spoke to him telepathically. *You don't have to eat it. We understand that this isn't your type of meal.*

He just shrugged in response, taking a bite of cranberry sauce.

Vesta was the belle of the table. Everyone cooed her, offering her more food, treating her like a princess. She really had her way with people.

Everyone stopped when they heard the shattering of glass.

Monroe, Lupe, and Tala stood from the table. Tala put a finger to her lips when growls began to rise from her family. They made their way to the living room quietly, where the noise had come from. Standing directly in the center of the room was a teenage boy, dressed completely in black. His eyes were the color of sapphires and his white blond hair stood in perfectly shaped spikes. The grin on his face was one of malice. Definitely a vampire.

His voice alone sounded like liquid evil. "Sorry to crash the party, but we need one of your guests to come for a little ride with us."

Lupe stepped forward. "Who, may I ask, is 'us?'"

Tala noticed a spark of nervousness in her mind. She turned to see Monroe taking a step back, sweat beading his forehead.

She turned back when the stranger began to speak again. "Oh, just a few of my friends." As soon as he finished, he clapped. Windows around the house began to shatter, the front door was being broken down. Teenagers of all sizes and species filled the house. Tala looked back to see most of her family and guests were shifting, looking wildly at the intruders around them.

She was about to head for Vesta when her attention was caught again by what the vampire was saying. "Pierson, so glad to see you. I imagine you remember the old gang."

She glanced over at her soulmate, seeing the expression of dread he held.

The stranger went on. "Thanks so much for letting us in on this little secret you had. We'll make sure to share the reward from the Council with you for your help."

Tala felt her temper flare. His eyes immediately flew to hers. *It's not what you think.*

She shook her head. *I should have known better than to trust you. All you've done is lied since the beginning. Too bad you won't get your reward.* She fled as fast as she could, running into the other room as the fight began.

Scanning the area, she saw Vesta in a corner, huddled against the wall. She stopped her cousin Ulric as he was about to impale his teeth into an unsuspecting vampire. "Go find as many fire extinguishers as you can. Trust me."

Her mother was even in wolf form, protecting the small child from a witch. So busy concentrating on the orange fire in his hands, the boy hadn't seen Tala grab a vase and aim it at his head.

Once he was on the floor, Tala moved to her mother's side. "Mom, I'm apologizing now for anything that has or will happen to your house." The wolf nodded in response. "I have to get Vesta out of here. Tell everyone to gather on the other side of the room, forcing the Night World agents over here."

Her mother ran off as she began to change. Looking Vesta straight in the eyes, she hoped the little girl was as good of a telepath as her uncle. *Can you hear me?* Vesta nodded in response. *Good. I'm going to get you out of here, but I need your help. Do you know how to call on the fire?*

The girl looked around nervously. *I can try, but I don't want to hurt your family!*

Tala nodded. *I have a plan. Wait until I tell you, then let it go.* She turned back to the mob of people. Not even noticing, she searched the crowd with her eyes for Monroe. She hurriedly shook herself, then nodded for Vesta to follow her.

The dinner party was almost all over to the other side of the room. With a fast escape route behind her and a human Ulric walking into the room, fire extinguishers in tow, she turned to Vesta. *Now!*

She had never watched the girl do this all the way through before. She had only been around for the aftermath. A red aura seemed to surround Vesta, as a light grew slowly in her eyes. The aura and the light seemed to grow in color together, becoming an orange that Tala knew only existed in Hell.

As it grew brighter, the room heated up. Suddenly, the group opposite them combusted into flames. Screams filled her ears as Tala grabbed Vesta's shirt with her teeth and jumped out the frame of a window.

Shifting back once in the cool night air, she grabbed the little girl's hand and ran for the car. As if he had known, the blue-eyed vampire from the living room was leaning against the Vitara. "Leaving so soon, mutt?"

She pushed Vesta behind her. "You can't have her."

"Oh, but I think I can. And who's going to stop me? Obviously not some flea infested dog." He began to step forward into a fighting stance.

She smiled. For once she had the right to kill someone. "Bring it on, bloodsucker."

He rushed her. She dodged to her right at the last second, leaving her leg extended. He stumbled over it, landing on his back. He stood quickly as she chuckled. Fury began to pour from his eyes.

His next shot was a swift quick toward her head, but she kneeled and grabbed his supporting ankle, knocking him to the ground again. He was lifting himself up as she sighed. "Why don't you just stay down? You're going to end up there anyway."

She saw that this really pissed him off. He hissed, his eyes taking a silver sheen, canine teeth extending to fine points. Putting out a fake yawn, she blocked his punches and kicks easily. "It's sad to see that I have better training than you do." She was beginning to get bored. With one final block, she used her left leg to sweep his feet from under him. Not giving him the chance to stand again, she kneeled on his chest. "It's too bad I have to kill you. I'd rather let you die of embarrassment when your friends found out that you got your ass kicked by a werewolf. Oh well."

She grabbed a stick from the grass beside his head. Quickly, so as not to torture him, she shoved the wood into his chest, feeling the easiness of the kill. It's too bad she couldn't have let him die slowly, but Daybreak didn't think so highly of painful deaths.

Standing above the mummifying body of the vampire, she took Vesta's hand. She glanced around the area quickly before continuing to the car. Night people were running from the house aflame, wolves and other creatures of the night chasing them into the darkness.

She started the car, an ache growing in her chest as she drove away. She knew her family could defend themselves. But Monroe, he had betrayed her . . . Again.

She wiped away the stray tear falling down her cheek as she grabbed her cell phone. Dialing Thierry's private number, she spoke quickly when he answered. "We've been attacked. Where can I take Vesta?"

His voice was edged with worry. "Go directly to Miami International Airport. Hannah and I will meet you there so we can take a Daybreak jet to the Vegas safe house. I'll call the pilot at the hangar and let them know that you three will be there soon."

"Unless you're talking about the mouse in my pocket, sir, there's only two of us."

"Where's Monroe?"

She sighed, biting her lip. She looked over to see Vesta watching the trees fly by. "He's the one who alerted the Council that we'd be there."

"Impossible!" She had never heard Thierry yell before. "How do you know this?"

"From what the leader was saying, I guess Monroe tipped off his old gang about the fire child." She was fighting the tears in her eyes. "I didn't see him when I was leaving."

"A crew from Homestead has already been dispatched to the house. If he's still there, we'll get to the bottom of this."

"I can't trust him, but have his mind searched anyway. See what you can find. I'll see you at the airport." She flipped her phone shut, throwing it in the backseat. She turned up the stereo as she drove faster, letting the strong vibrations of Trans-Siberian Orchestra fill her mind.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	15. Chapter 15

Hey you guys. I know it's been a couple of days, and, unfortunately, this is a pretty short chapter. I have a new-found allergy to cats, and a sinus cold on top of that, so I've been lying in bed for the past two days reading 'Pride & Prejudice' by Jane Austen. Not to mention I'm pretty nervous about the Bloody Quills results, so it's hard to concentrate on my writing, since I keep typing and deleting, being over critical of myself. I don't think there's too many more chapters left to this, so I should be done in the next week.

amphitrite: I take it you don't like cliff-hangers? Hehehehe. You won't like the end of this chapter, either, then. I've been asleep majority of today, so the next part should be up closely following this.

Emmanuelle: Fireworks, huh? They should be expected in the next part. Come on, it's Monroe. How bad can he be?

Adelaide E: Yeah, it's those bastards. =) I didn't really want them to hate each other so soon, but I wanted a decent conflict, and to get everyone's mind back on the adventure and less on the romance. Thanks, my clairvoyant buddy.

Tamashii: So now I'm predictable? Sorry, like I told Adelaide, I wanted to get everyone's mind back on the action, off of the couple.

Hedge: I just keep you up until the ungodly hours of the night, don't I? =) Thanks for the compliments, and try to hold back the girly stuff until the end of the story. Then you're going to get all mushy. LoL.

  
  


*Chapter 15*

  
  


Tala landed on the hard bed with a sigh. The past twelve hours had been horrible on her mind. She rolled over on her side, wincing when the pressure of her newly acquired bed ran across her bruise.

Tears immediately sprang to her eyes. The pain of her jaw wasn't so bad, but her mind screamed the thoughts of Monroe.

Where did she go wrong? She had been *inside* his mind, he had completely opened up for her, and she hadn't seen a trace of loyalty to the Night World. Then what had that vampire been talking about?

She stirred when a knock came on her door. "Come in," she mumbled from her pillow.

Her senses picked up Thierry's assistant, Nilsson, making his way in the room. "How are you feeling, Tala?"

"Like I've been trampled by a herd of rhinos, thank you." She propped herself up, giving him her attention. "What's the occasion?"

"The reports are in from your recent dilemma." He held up a manilla folder. "I figured you might be interested."

She tried to act casual, but knew she had reached too fast to pass for calm. He smiled, leaving the room to give her the privacy she needed. Just before he made it out, he turned to her. "There was no way he could have done it intentionally."

She looked up as he closed the door. What exactly had he meant by *that*? She sifted through the papers. Random Polaroids of her family's dining and living rooms showed the damage. Luckily, they had Daybreak Home Insurance. How would you explain a Night World accident to MetLife?

A few of the hired rogues from Monroe's old gang had been caught and interrogated, leaving not much valuable information. They had been hired by the Council to get the girl. Same old story. Finally, she fell across the paper that interested her the most . . .

A head shot of Monroe was paper-clipped to the sheet, taken after the fight last night. She scanned her eyes over it quickly, searching for a dismissal stamp. There wasn't one to be found. She read through the interview they'd held with him, ready to be disappointed. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. Her jaw dropped as she read through the report.

He hadn't told the gang a word. He'd given the interview, then voluntarily opened up his mind to be searched by a telepath. His last contact with his old group had been just before he joined Circle Daybreak . . . when he'd been changed. That was over a year ago.

She turned the page and began to read out loud to herself. "Upon further review with one of the Night World agents, it was discovered that Pierson was completely not guilty. The witch in question revealed that Monroe had been constantly followed after his departure of the former group, slowly exposing details of the mission and his niece."

If she hadn't wanted to cry before, Tala definitely wanted to now. She rested against her headboard, letting the papers slide from her hand. She didn't want to deal with this anymore. Her emotions had never been so tortured in her life.

Her relationship with Monroe just couldn't be. Her heart had been torn to shreds these past few days, and nothing she knew could fix it. She hoped he wasn't coming to Las Vegas, though she knew he would eventually.

  
  


She was observing a lesson between Vesta and Jez Redfern the next day when he walked in. Tala silently got up to leave the room when he touched her arm. She jerked it away quickly, trying to ignore the shock he had given her. "Leave me alone, Monroe."

"Tala, I just want to talk to you." His eyes were pleading.

"I have nothing to say." She continued to walk out as he grabbed the back of her shirt.

"I do."

Rolling her eyes, she made it out into the hallway. "What exactly do you want to tell me? I know you were innocent, I read the report."

"If you know I'm not guilty, then why are you acting this way?"

She sighed. "Because I'm tired of hurting. Every day with you is another day of confusion and pain. Soulmates or not, this is never going to work. Something is always going to happen."

"But I love you!" He almost yelled the statement. People passing by turned to observe, but he went on. "I love you for who you are, not because of this stupid link. I am willing to do anything in the world for you, why can't you see that?"

She looked down from his gaze, feeling the color rush to her face. A lone tear rolled down her cheek. "It's one fight after another with us. I don't want to do it anymore. Goodbye, Monroe." She walked quickly down the hall, pushing open the doors to the outside. Busy looking for her keys, she didn't notice the hands reaching out to cover her mouth.

  
  



	16. Chapter 16

I'm such a smart-ass today. I hope you find this chapter amusing. I think it's rather funny, if I say so myself. Not too long, but I felt the next part needed to be in a separate chapter.

Tamashii: And now the lovely Tamashii will serenade us with the 'Tease of Fire' theme song! =)

Forest Elfin: You know, I keep meaning to read your stories. Damn me and my momentarily short attention span! =) I'm glad you think that Tala is justified in her decision. I don't know what Vesta will do, but maybe the little fire-starter has something up her sleeves . . .

littlemissgiggles: Thank you so much for the compliment on my writing. I usually have quick updates, so hopefully you won't be disappointed.

Hedge: Ah, my faithful Hedge and your wonderful reviews. What would I do without you? I can't help but leave everyone hanging. It gets everyone so riled up. Hehehe. ::sigh:: Here's a chapter of your taste, chock full of smart-ass comments. =) I think I used a lot of big words too, so I'm kinda proud of myself. ::pats self in back::

  
  


*Chapter 16*

  
  


Monroe felt her mental scream before the doors had a chance to shut. He ran as fast as he could, pushing against the heavy metal, only to see a black van speeding off. The tinted windows and lack of a license plate mocked him as the vehicle sprayed dust in his general direction.

He panicked, even though he knew he shouldn't. Sure, he was without a car, in a city he didn't know, and his soulmate had just been hijacked by some mysterious strangers in an unidentifiable automobile, but really, how bad could it actually be?

He tried to clear his mind, knowing that if he didn't do something he was going to hyperventilate. He looked around, aware that his salvation wasn't just going to be right there in front of his eyes. Or so he thought.

Glinting from the concrete of the sidewalk were a set of keys. He grabbed them quickly, recognizing Tala's black ring clip, unconsciously heading toward the Vitara. He had no time to try and remember Daybreak's safe house number, nor the time to run in and tell someone where he was going. Starting the car, he sent a mental probe into the building, searching for Thierry's mind. There it was. *I'm going after Tala.*

The mental voice coming back to him sounded of sardonic laughter. *What is wrong with you two now?*

Monroe held back the need to send his sarcastic friend a blast of power. *She's been kidnaped. I don't know by who, or where they're going, but I'm following.*

With that, Monroe cut off the mental connection, putting up blocks to keep Thierry's interfering hesitations out. He needed to concentrate on following the van that was slowly getting out of his line of vision, taking corners hastily and running red lights.

  
  


Tala did not like this scenario. She had rather enjoyed being upset about Monroe, compared to this, that is. Her arms were tied behind her back. If she could shift, this dilemma wouldn't be half as bad. Unfortunately, doing that would cause her arms to bend in a most uncomfortable, *breaking* position. Therefore, Plan A was scratched off the list.

She looked at her assailant, trying to notice anything familiar. Yeah, those black clothes. Those looked like something a hit man would wear. So did that ski mask, which showed absolutely none of this person's features. A *lot* of help this was doing her. She couldn't even determine if it was a man or a woman.

At least she wasn't scared. She had no clue why, but she wasn't frightened at all. Of course she was pissed. And once she got out of this bind, she was kicking this unfashionably dressed villain in the head.

If she were somewhat familiar with Nevada, she might have been able to track how the van turned and figured out where she was going. That way she could send a message to Monroe, though he was probably mad about the way she had just walked off like that.

*Nobody's going to realize I'm missing!* she thought miserably. She had an itching feeling that everyone was going to think she took off to contemplate again, like she usually did. Damn her and her need for alone time.

Now she was worried. She had enough confidence in herself that she could do some serious ass-kicking to these ignoramuses, but she had no clue how many there were.

*Fine,* she said to herself, determined. She sat up straight, holding her chin up, if only to prove her courage to herself. *If I have to do it alone, so be it.*

And in celebration of her good mood, she felt the need to annoy the person with whom she shared the back of the vehicle with a song. "It's a small world after all. It's a small world after all. It's a small world after all. It's a small, small-"

"Would you shut the Hell up?" the lurking figure boomed.

So it was a male. Even better. She smirked to herself, seeing if he could give away anymore of his secrets. "Not a Disney fan, huh? Did you like 'Lamb Chop' when you were a kid?" She cleared her throat, preparing for the next tune. "This is the song that doesn't end, it just goes on and on my friend! Some people, started singing it-"

A hand closed around her throat. Taking this to her advantage, as much as she could, anyway, she silently sniffed at her attacker. Next clue: He wears way too much cologne. She coughed from the lack of oxygen, and the lack of *breathable* oxygen, at that.

He was grumbling something inaudible as she tried to open up her other senses, disconnecting from her hearing. She felt a tiny mental tug come from his direction, almost so insignificantly small, she never would have otherwise noticed.

*Ding, ding, ding!* she grinned in her mind. *We have a winner.* Vampire, a made one at that. She only figured this due to his lack of composure, and he wasn't very good at covering up his mental tracks.

He finally released her neck when the spots started to blur her vision. She made a quick intake of air, trying not to gasp. She held herself up, looking the man in the eyes. "Aw, somebody's grumpy. Didn't get to feed, I take it?"

The vehicle slammed to a halt as he was standing to hit her. She couldn't contain her laughter as he flew into the hard metal separator between the driver and their confined area. She was still laughing as someone reached in and dragged her out into the hot desert air.

  
  
  
  
  
  



	17. Chapter 17

Okay, I got bored. No waiting for reviews this time (though I imagine I'll have at least one before this is actually up for reading). There's only one more chappie after this, guys. I might write an epilogue, or I may just tag it at the end of the next chapter, I'm not sure yet. There will always be an author's note, b/c I'm selfish like that. =) Enjoy!

  
  


*Chapter 17*

  
  


Monroe cursed when he saw the emblem on the door of the warehouse. He had managed to keep a good enough distance behind the van, tailing it until they had arrived at a dirty storage area. The building loomed above him, the setting sun peaking over the roof. He stared at the entrance and felt fury sweep through him. 

The symbol was one that had been ingrained in his mind, and almost on his body at one point. A lone black tear drop blazed from the center of a waning crescent moon. His old gang, the Deserters.

They didn't actually have a name, but they commonly referred to themselves as that. He had never imagined that the group would locate themselves in the middle of Night World country, though. Of course, he had never thought they could be bought by the Council, either. Goes to show how people can change in a year.

He knew a few reasons as to why they would have taken Tala. One, revenge on him for leaving. Two, Tala killed their leader. Three, she was a Daybreak agent ahead of the fire child. Overall, they wanted to kill her.

Unfortunately for them, Tala was stronger than all of them. She had killed their commander, for sobbing out loud. He should have been the strongest out of them all. And luckily, she didn't have to do it alone.

Monroe took a step toward the door, extending his hands against it, trying to catch any presence on the other side. One guard, a shifter. She was a cat of some sort. Yes, it was Bilqis, his jaguar . . . friend. This wasn't going to be hard. Feeling his power cloud in his mind, he lightly pushed, forcing it to darken the girl's mind. A second later, he heard a thump on the ground.

He took his Daybreak identification badge from his pocket, sliding it along the crack of the door. He felt it catch, then the door swung open. *These idiots really don't know how to protect themselves.*

Stepping over the unconscious body of Bilqis, he felt the building with his mind. Three vampires, two witches, and a wolf. They were all in the same room. He felt the soulmate connection pulling him there, dragging him to her. He felt a quick jerk of pain in his mind, then amusement. What was she doing in there?

  
  


Tala spat at them, spraying the blood from her mouth onto the face of the guy taking charge. "You guys aren't too freaking bright, you know that? I'll never tell you anything about the girl, and once I get out of these restraints, you're going to be in a lot of pain."

The boy standing in front of her was another vampire. *Figures.* His eyes were a stormy gray, shielded by spiky pitch black bangs. He chuckled dramatically, like a horrible evil villain. "Not if we kill you first."

A girl stood beside him, dressed completely in black like the rest. Her amber hair fell in waves down her back, past her waist, and her matching eyes held a power that could only be described as *witchy.* "You'll never get out of those bonds. I enchanted them myself."

Tala rolled her eyes. "Fine, you want to kill me? Go for it. This day has been crappy enough, just finish it off for me." Being annoying wasn't scoring her any points, just a few good slaps in the mouth. But she knew it was wearing down their defenses. "Who's up for another song? I was thinking something along the lines of country. Don't tell my heart, my achy-breaky heart. I just don't think he'd understand . . ."

A sound came from the back corner of the room, interrupting her serenade. Something like a footstep. The five gang members exchanged looks. The guy acting as leader spoke to the noise. "Who's there?"

After ten seconds of silence, he nodded to the group to follow him. Tala almost laughed at their idiocy. *That's it, guys,* she laughed mentally, blocking her thoughts, *Leave the hostage to her self.* She watched them jog over to the huge stacks of wooden crates.

She was shocked to feel a cool wind pass over her tied wrists as an eery whisper came from behind her. She strained to hear what was being said, but it seemed to be some sort of chant. Suddenly, the rope fell to the ground, leaving her hands free to move. Standing quickly, she turned to see who her rescuer was. 

Instantly she met with deep mahogany eyes, untamed auburn curls falling in front of them. *Damnit, Monroe,* she mentally sighed. *What the Hell are you doing?*

A smirk grew on his face. *What does it look like I'm doing? I'm saving your furry ass. Unless you'd like me to tie you back up and let you get out on your own . . .*

She felt some lewd thought begin to grow in the back of his mind. She shook her head. *Well, since you're here, help me kick some bad-guy ass. And this is strictly business.*

She looked back at the confused group of rogues smiling. They were still searching for the source of the noise they had heard earlier. Silently, she took on her wolf form, feeling her soul expand blissfully into the creature she was born to be. She lurked toward them quietly, feeling Monroe right behind her. *You better not be looking at my furry ass, either.* Oh yeah, she was strictly business.

They were almost on the group when they finally realized that there was nothing to be found. Shock spread across each of their faces as she jumped, tackling the vampire closest to her. She rammed him into one of the storage crates, causing it to shatter into pieces. She cringed as she saw a large piece protruding from his chest, his skin beginning to sink in on his unbreathing form.

The group was stepping back quickly as a burst of light came crashing through one of the painted windows. It was a brown wolf, landing gracefully next to Tala. Other forms were coming through the door.

The panic running through her blood ceased when she recognized the smiling muzzle beside her. *Good to see you, Lupe.*

Out of the corner of her eye she saw a ball of orange fire aimed right at her. She jumped just in time for Monroe to trip the witch it had come from, causing her to smack into the hard concrete ground.

Daybreak agents were leading the remainder of the gang out of the warehouse. Tala sighed, disappointed that she didn't get to have a decent fight. She ached flowing back to her human form, bruises and cuts forming on her face.

She saw the worried expression on Monroe's face. "Are you okay?"

She turned away, walking toward the entrance. "I'm fine, thank you."

Keeping her pace, she ignored the pain in her chest from leaving him behind. She got into Lupe's beat up Toyota Celica, giving him one last look. *This doesn't change my mind. I've made a decision, and I'm keeping it.*

She looked away as the car began to move. Once again, her eyes were brimming with tears. She watched as the sun sank past the passing horizon, leaving the sky a bright lavender.

  
  
  
  
  
  



	18. Chapter 18

You lucky people you. This chapter got sooooo looooong, I decided you'd get one more short chapter after this, as well as an epilogue. I'm just so giving ::wipes away tears:: J/k. But you may need a box of Kleenex to get through to the end of this chappie. =) It's really heart-wrenching if you've heard the song.

Hedge: You ready to get all girly? You'll be the first to see this, so feel special. =)

amphitrite: I really do. Hehehehe. J/k

Emmanuelle: Hey chicky, haven't heard from you in a while. You know how ff.net is. One second they say a chapter is up, the next it isn't. At the time of your review, sixteen and seventeen were up. The slackers. Hopefully this chapter will put you in a more faithful mood . . . =)

  
  


*Chapter 18*

  
  


She hadn't seen him in days. Unknowing to Tala, her eyes kept in constant search of him. Any sign would satisfy her misery. But she had run him off.

She cried every night, the ache in her soul getting deeper and deeper. Everyone looked at her cautiously when she passed them. She knew what they saw. They saw a girl, lost in her own depression, with tangled blonde hair and bloodshot, puffy eyes, no longer carrying the menace in their depths.

Staying in the mansion was no paradise, either. The days that she chose to leave her room, she was immediately drawn back to it. She hated being surrounded by all of the soulmates. They never had to worry about anything ever again. They had their one and only beside them.

She knew she'd never be the same. Some day she'd stop crying, but it wasn't anytime soon. Even Vesta couldn't console her, coming in and laying with her at night. Tala cried less then, knowing that somebody loved her, and was here, with her.

The day before New Year's Eve was when she was bombarded. Hearing a knock on her door, she made the mistake of permitting entrance. One-by-one, the girls staying in the mansion filed into her room. It was almost as if they had been called together for this purpose. Tala made a mental note to stake Thierry the next time he passed her in the hallways.

Hannah sat next to her, taking away her TV remote and hitting the power button. Tala turned and glared, only to receive a kind smile in return. "You can't live like this, sweetie."

Tala sat up, running a hand through her hair. "How do you know? Have you ever tried it?"

A tiny red-headed girl came to her other side. Poppy North sighed. "I have, as a matter of fact. It's not healthy, Tala. We want you to be okay."

Tala raised an eyebrow. "You want to help? Fine. Send me back two weeks before I discovered that I had a soulmate. Even better, send me back ten years so I can stop those worthless Night World wolves from tearing apart his family."

Thea was sitting at the computer desk, spinning in the chair. She stopped to meet Tala with soft brown eyes. "I don't even think Hellewise or Maya could complete time travel, so I think you're stuck to fix this situation now."

Tala glanced up to see Rashel and Keller sitting at the foot of her bed. "Oh, don't even tell me that you two are in on this!"

The two girls rolled their eyes, nodding in agreement.

Tala looked around, taking a mental roll of the room. *I'll be damned.* They were all there. Even some she didn't recognize. They had even let Jez out of the safe house to come up here.

Tala huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "*Fine.* What do I have to do to get you guys to let up?"

Hannah had an evil grin on her face. Tala swallowed as the other girl spoke. "You have to do girly stuff with us for the next two days."

"Oh no. Not me. I'm not buying into this." She looked to Keller for support. "I know you didn't agree to this."

The dark haired girl bit her lower lip, hiding a smirk. "Actually, there's this new store called 'Foxglove' in the mall, where they sell clothes for shifters, and I was hoping you'd help me pick out a dress for tomorrow night."

Tala put her hands up, shaking her head. "Okay, you guys are crazy if you think I'm attending this little gala that Thierry's holding tomorrow night."

Lupe jumped up on the bed, curling up tight next to Tala. "Come on, cousin. It'll be so much fun. You need to get your mind off of all of this depressing stuff and party down with us. Please?"

Tala groaned, putting her head in her hands. "Fine." She heard squeals of delight from all around her. She glared at the girls. "I'll go out with you guys today, and I'll *think* about the party, okay?"

She could tell that nobody believed her. The were all exiting the room, gossiping about dresses and make-up. Hannah patted Tala's shoulder. "Take a shower and meet us in the common room downstairs. We'll be waiting."

  
  


Okay, so maybe they'd been right. Tala had gone out, expecting the worst, and actually had a good time. They'd shopped for hours, being gawked at by the masses. It had to have looked odd to normal humans: a dozen or so of the most beautiful girls they'd ever seen, running through the halls of a shopping center, giggling and screaming. It had been the most disgusting, degrading, girly thing Tala had ever done in her life . . .

And she'd had a blast.

Returning to the mansion, they had stayed up most of the night watching movies and eating chocolate and popcorn. Tala had found it rather amusing that Lupe had picked "American Werewolf in London." They'd gossiped, told secrets, shared Circle Daybreak horror stories, and she had even tolerated the soulmate stories. Of course, her permission had been asked before anyone had ventured into the category. She had laughed, saying it was okay. Being surrounded by people who cared about her made it completely worth it. She even had a chance to talk about her love of Broadway musicals, especially "Chicago."

Waking up on the floor of the lounge wasn't the most comfortable of awakenings, but she smiled when she saw both Vesta and Lupe, one on each side of her. The early afternoon sunlight was pouring through the picture windows, slowly causing everyone to stir. Tala looked around, smiling at her new-found group of friends. They had all blown off their soulmates or significant others to try and make her feel better, no matter how well they'd known her.

Maybe she could even tolerate a dance. *Maybe.*

  
  


Walking into the ballroom, Tala was amazed at the site. Black and silver streamers hung from the ceiling, balloons floating from every available space. Amidst the tables stood a platform stage, set up with spinning tables, microphones, musical instruments, and above all things, a karaoke machine.

She stood tall, holding her head high. She knew she looked stunning, wearing a forest green gown designed to show off her back. She could feel her golden ringlets brushing near her waist. Taking Vesta's hand, she smiled, walking to the table with her reserved seat. They would be sitting with Thierry, Hannah, Iliana, Poppy, James, and Lupe.

She sat down as Thierry took the stage, watching everyone else bustling to their designated seats. He stood behind the microphone, tapping a crystal wine glass with a silver knife. Slowly, everyone through the room joined in, the talk dying down.

He waited for complete silence before beginning his speech. He looked out over the crowd, holding a smile no one had seen before Hannah had come back into his life. "I want to thank everyone for coming here tonight and celebrating. It's an honor to see that we have so many members of Circle Daybreak, when a few years ago nobody had even heard of the organization. Hell, everyone still thought I was a Night World Elder." Laughs came from the group, a small chuckle slipping out from the Master-of-Ceremonies himself. "Every one of you is a valuable asset to our organization.

"As you know," he continued, his voice taking on a more solemn note, "a year from tonight, we will all be part of a world changing experience. I hope to have all of you and many more on our side when the time comes, and I know we can accomplish what is said to be the impossible." He raised his glass, all of the guests doing the same. "So, here's to a wonderful New Year, and to finding the last Wild Power. Cheers!"

Tala shouted with everyone, feeling passion fill the room. She was surrounded by clapping as Thierry took his seat between Tala and Hannah.

Tala smirked as she saw the next person take the stage. It had been rumored that Ash Redfern was the event coordinator for the evening, but she had hardly thought this was his taste. Evidently, he had buckled under Mary-Lynette's pleas and made the party moderately classy.

"Howdy folks," he smiled. "Yes, it's true, I am the designated party-planner for tonight's events. I thought I'd just fill you in on the itinerary for the evening. During dinner tonight, you will be delighted by the music of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, playing music from their CD known as 'Beethoven's Last Night.'" Tala gasped as she saw the performers beginning to take the stage as he spoke. "I know a particular werewolf with a passion for them." He looked at her, giving her a wink. She colored as he went on.

"Afterwards, we'll have karaoke for all until just before midnight. And, though I shouldn't have to add it, no booing. Catcalls are welcome." He gave a sly grin, adjusting his jacket. "From midnight on, we will be treated to the masterful spinning skills of our house DJ, James Rasmussen." Tala turned to her table-mate in awe. She had no clue he did that for a hobby! "So, everyone have a great evening, and happy New Year!"

Tala's dining experience was absolutely blissful. Enjoying expensive French cuisine with her favorite group playing in the background was almost too much. When Ash stopped by their table, she pulled him into a hug. "Thank you so much. This is just magnificent!" If only Monroe were there . . .

He smiled. "No problem. I'm glad you decided to join us. I mainly invited them to play because of you. It would have been a disappointment if you hadn't shown."

Something was on her mind. "Just a question, Ash. They don't know about us, do they?"

He laughed, shaking his head. "No, they were kept away during Thierry's speech, and will be checked before they leave. We don't want any secrets getting out."

Giggling, she went back to her meal, nudging Vesta. "You having a good time?"

The girl looked up with sparkling eyes. "This is incredible."

Just as she was finishing her plate, the orchestra was leaving the stage. Hannah and Poppy got up, grabbing her and Iliana. Tala glanced around. "What are you doing?" That's when she realized she was being directed toward the stage, where all the girls from the night before were waiting. "Oh Goddess, you have to go and embarrass me."

"We're embarrassing all of us," Poppy giggled, dragging her up the platform.

Hannah took the mike. "I hope everyone's having a good time tonight. We wanted to kick off the karaoke with a song almost *everyone* knows the words to. Hit it, Ash."

Tala laughed hysterically as the first chords of the theme song to "Friends" came out of the stereo. She started up with the rest of the girls as the verse started, clapping in the correct place. All thoughts of ignominy left her mind by time they were at the chorus. She belted out as loud as she could, partially singing to a person who wasn't there. "I'll be there for you, when the rain starts to pour. I'll be there for you, like I've been there before. I'll be there for you, 'cause you're there for me, too-oo."

After finishing the song, she was surprised when Hannah held onto her arm, not letting her escape with the rest of the group. Tala heard Ash's voice come over the crowd of cheers. "As a special request tonight, we're going to have our very own Tala Acevedo sing to us a song from the Broadway musical, 'Chicago.' Here's 'All That Jazz.'"

Tala glared at Hannah as she hurried off stage, blushing as the applause died out to the beginning of the music. She took hold of the microphone Ash was offering her. "You're all going to pay for this, you realize?" She heard the girls laugh as her part came up.

She watched as the words came up on the Teleprompter, but she didn't need them. The song was memorized to heart. "C'mon babe, why don't we paint the town? And all that jazz . . ." She felt the adrenaline rush through her veins as she picked up volume. "I'm gonna rouge my knees, and roll my stockings down, and all that jazz."

Slowly, she let herself get carried away, putting her whole soul into the song. She could hardly hear the clapping over the beat of her heart as the song ended. She took a deep breath in as she handed Ash the mike. Slowly making her way off the stage she joined her group, each of them grinning from ear to ear. She shook her head. "I hate each and every single one of you."

Poppy kept grinning. "We love you, too."

Tala sat and enjoyed the rest of the shows. It was a riot watching people stumble over the words. Some of the members of Circle Daybreak had exceedingly spectacular voices. Some did not. But, overall, everyone was having a great time. Morgead even took the stage, doing his own version of "Every Rose Has Its Thorns." She thought Jez was laughing the hardest during his song.

She glanced at her watch, noticing that it was coming on twelve o'clock. Another twenty minutes. She started to get a little forlorn, wanting to spend the stroke of midnight with her soulmate.

Watching as Ash took the platform again, she was waiting for him to announce the end of the karaoke sequence. She was a little taken aback to hear him say that there was one last performer, who had requested to go last. "And to end this year, a song known as 'When You Say Nothing At All.'"

Tala knew the song well. It was one of her favorites. She watched as Ash walked back into the crowd and the lights dimmed. The music started, yet no one was in front of the group to perform. She began to wonder if the mystery person had gotten cold feet.

As the lyrics began, a voice filled her, mind, body, and soul. It was like liquid velvet, comforting her with love and protection. "It's amazing how you can speak right to my heart . . ." A spotlight sparked to life, following a man walking onto the stage from the left side of the ballroom. "Without saying a word, you can light up the dark." Deep red locks fell across the man's forehead, but his deep mahogany eyes shined brightly from beneath them. "Try as I may I could never explain, what I hear when you don't say a thing . . ."

Tears began to spill onto Tala's cheeks as Monroe looked into her eyes from the platform. A gentle grin curved his lips. "The smile on your face lets me know that you need me, there's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me. The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall . . . You say it best . . . when you say nothing at all . . ."

She knew the whole room was staring at her. She could feel the approving smiles directed toward her from her table, but she wouldn't take her eyes away from his.

"All day long I can hear people talking out loud . . . But when you hold me near, you drown out the crowd . . ." He began to make his way down the steps again, in her general direction, his voice growing strength. "Old Mister Webster could never define, what's being said between your heart and mine . . ."

"The smile on your face lets me know that you need me, there's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me. The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall . . . You say it best . . . when you say nothing at all . . ."

He held out a hand as he approached her. She stood, barely, almost breaking down into sobs. As the music played on, he took her in his open arm, the room breaking out into hysterical applause. She held him tight as he went into the final chorus. "The smile on your face lets me know that you need me. There's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me. The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall . . . You say it best . . . when you say nothing at all . . ."

He leaned back, allowing her to look up at him. "I love you, Tala, no matter what we've been through, no matter what we'll go through. I'll never let you leave me again." With that he smiled. She accepted his lips, allowing the soulmate bond to take over her mind, drowning out the cheers of her fellow Daybreakers.

  
  
  
  
  
  


=)


	19. Chapter 19

I see I succeeded in making everyone all disgustingly sappy with that last entry. This is one of the best responses I've gotten from my reviews. The epilogue should be up sometime tomorrow, so, in the meantime, have fun with this chapter. It doesn't really add anything to the plot (since that's pretty much finished), but I wanted to show them having a good time.

Emmanuelle: hey, I know how it is. It's hard to take a couple of days off, though. My romantic view is more personal than LJ's, I suppose. I write what I dream could happen to me . . . ::sigh:: =P

Hedge: I told you, didn't I? Now you know why it took me so long to write it out while I was talking to you! LoL. I was serious when I said it almost making me cry. Glad you liked it! Too bad I don't have any explosives or finger-incidinces, though . . . =)

amphitrite: I'm happy that I could make you all sappy. Tee hee.

Adelaide E: Did you ever doubt me?? I guess I'm just quick like that. Hee hee. You can thank Hedge for the Morgead idea. She said she wanted to see it. Thanks for complimenting the plot. You'll find out something more about the gang in the epilogue, if that consoles you any.

Forest Elfin: Yeah, it took forever for Chapter 18 to even show up this morning. It irked me very much. I added the singing to put her to the edge, make her come across as a strong person. Thank so much for the compliments! They're very appreciated!

Tamashii: I hope you liked the chapter when you finally got a chance to read it! I'm glad you like the story, I really am!

Blaise: You always seem so excited about my chapters! It makes me smile. =)

*Chapter 19*

  
  


Tala couldn't have been any happier. It was the minute before midnight, and she was surrounded by everyone that she loved, and to top it off, they all loved her in return. Around her stood all of her friends and their soulmates, her cousins Lupe and Ulric, her almost-niece Vesta, and Monroe, holding her as if she would disappear if he loosened his grip.

The screen set up on the platform was showing the national New Year's celebration, and the ball in the Big Apple was beginning to makes it descent to the year 1999. Vaguely, she heard a familiar Prince song playing in the background.

She turned her eyes to her soulmate, reeling in the warmth of his love. She kissed him lightly, unable to get enough of the connection thrumming between them.

He leaned his forehead against hers. "So, you love me?"

She closed her eyes and smiled, nodding her head.

"And you know I love you?"

"Yes."

"And you're never going to tell me to get lost again?"

"No."

"And you'll be with me forever?"

She grinned playfully. "That's my New Year's resolution." The crowd around her were counting down the last few seconds of the night. As they reached the moment of twelve, she pulled him to her, meeting his lips with her own, ignoring the calls of a Happy New Year.

  
  


Sitting at the table, watching everyone dance to James' spinning, she turned to Monroe. "Where have you been this week?"

She saw him close his eyes, his brow creasing in concentration. After a few moments he nodded, looking up to the stage as the song went from urban trance to a spicy salsa mix. "Here, why don't I show you?"

His smirk confused her as he held out his hand, taking her out to the dance floor. She looked around, seeing all of the savvy dancers, Lupe dominating a large section with their cousin, Ulric. A group was beginning to form around the two.

Tala let him guide her through the gathering crowd until she was exposed to the center. She turned quickly to Monroe as he took her hands, immediately falling into the steps of the dance.

Laughing hysterically, she took his lead, allowing him to spin her out. He brought her close as she gasped. "You learned how to do this in five days?"

He continued, not missing a beat of the song. "I'm a quick learner." He spun her out again, followed by a dip toward the ground. As he held her there, he added, "Plus, your mom's a good teacher."

Feeling the blood rush from her head as he brought her back up, she was dizzy from delight. "You really are willing to do whatever you can for me, aren't you?"

"Did you ever doubt me?" He did a quick spin himself, taking this time for them to show off. "Let's see," he continued, "I sang in front of thousands of people, I learned how to dance so that you'd never have to worry about a partner again, and I even came back after you told me to take a hike." He dipped her one last time as the song was ending. "I think that says 'I love you' in plenty of ways."

Grinning, she shook her head. Lupe was demanding a turn with Monroe, so she backed off, scanning the crowd for a new partner. She spotted Thierry coming toward her. She pulled up her dress, meeting him half-way. "Wanna dance?"

"How did you know?" he asked, offering his hand. A rumba beat filled the air as they moved with the music.

"So I see that sometime during your millennia of life you've learned to dance?" she asked casually, paying attention to the dance order. *Slow . . . quick, quick, slow . . .*

He laughed, rolling his eyes. "I had to find a way to kill time waiting for her." He nodded his head toward where Hannah and Vesta were. "Speaking of which, happy with how your soulmate dilemma turned out?"

She gave him a sly grin. "Very much so. I still want to cause bodily damage to all of you for yesterday and tonight's events, though. You're not getting off easy because I'm in love."

"Now would be the best time to take me out," he said, stumbling over his feet and quickly recovering. "I haven't danced like this in over fifty years. You could easily hurt me."

She chuckled. "Nah. I'd rather wait until you're least expecting it!"

Eventually she found herself back in the arms of Monroe, gliding together in a slow song. Well, technically it was slow. James had put some jungle trance back on the stereo. She swayed with him in the euphoric pink haze of their bond, enjoying the sync of their minds, knowing that most of her friends were doing the same.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	20. Epilogue

So, here we are. The Epilogue. Kinda sad, really. =( I'm not going to write an author's note, since there isn't really a need for one. But, I'd like to thank all of my reviewers. Without you, well, I still would have wrote this, but it would have taken so much longer and wouldn't have been as interesting. You guys have been a great support, and anyone else that reads this afterwards, thank you, too. I write to make people happy . . . sometimes. Other times I do it for my own selfish reasons. =P Hehehe. Everyone enjoy, and tell me what you think.

  
  


*Epilogue*

  
  


*Vacation.* Tala absolutely loved it. Of course, her vacation was just a visit to her mother's house for a week with Monroe during Valentine's Day, but she didn't have a mission. That was enough to be thankful for.

She had felt bad leaving Vesta, but Jez had promised to take good care of her while they were gone. The girls--or the Daybreak Sorority, as Tala liked to put it--were supposed to be visiting a water park that day, while Tala was just sitting on the couch, completely enjoying the basic cable and home cooked meals.

The couch itself was utterly comfortable. Circa 1960, it's blue and white flower pattern fading from the constant wear, it offered a wonderful cuddle spot. She smiled, nestling up to Monroe, feeling his protective arms grow tight around her shoulders.

The cell phone in her pocket began to vibrate, causing her to sigh in aggravation. Looking at the caller ID, she added a despairing groan. Thierry just did not know how to leave them in peace. She was seriously considering letting the voicemail get it.

"Answer it," Monroe said with a knowing glance.

"Quit reading my thoughts." Pressing the talk button, she greeted the caller. "Tala Acevedo."

"You need to come back to Las Vegas, Tala." Thierry's voice was somber and almost . . . grieved.

"Sorry, but this is the first vacation I've ever-" She stopped short. *What was that in the background?* It sounded like Hannah. But that couldn't be Hannah. She was always happy and smiling. Hannah wasn't the type to sob uncontrollably. "Thierry? What's wrong with Hannah?" She stood, an alarming feeling crawling up her spine. She looked at her soulmate, seeing that he had the same worry churning in his eyes.

"Come back to Vegas," Thierry's voice didn't lighten at all, "There's been a breech in security."

Everything was beginning to grow fuzzy. Not "wonderful-love" fuzzy. It was "the-world's-slipping-from-beneath-me" fuzzy. "What do you mean, 'breech in security?'"

He began to repeat himself. "You need to come back-"

"Damnit, Thierry!" She was losing her grip of reality. "Just tell me what the Hell is going on!"

"Vesta was taken today at the park. So was Jez . . ."

She knew that he was going on, saying something about casualties, but she didn't hear it. The phone slipped from her hand, hitting the ground. The pieces scattering across the pine wood floor echoed in her ears. Her knees hurt. Why did her knees hurt? Oh, it was because she had landed on them.

*Why are my cheeks wet?* She reached up, touching her face. *Am I sweating? That's funny, why would I only be sweating on my cheeks?*

She put her head in her hands, letting the tears fall through her fingers, splashing onto the ground. A million and a half thoughts were crashing through her head without any direction. Nothing was organized, nothing made sense.

They had only been gone for two days. How could have this happened? A lost Wild Power . . . A lost Fire Child . . . Less than ten months until the Millennium Battle . . . Circle Daybreak was doomed . . .

Unless she did something. And she knew she had to. There was no way she'd lose the Battle. She had to save Jez and Vesta.

  
  


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::Evil laughter erupts:: Bet you guys weren't expecting that. And you know what that means . . .

Oh yes, I think I smell a sequel . . . ]=)

  
  
  
  
  
  



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